MONROE – Stephanie Conklin and her younger brother, Jason, were one of six children, but there was a special bond between them.
They traveled together from Monroe to take classes at Rockland County Community College and worked side by side at a Pizza Hut in Ramsey, N.J. So, of course, when she had tickets for a Mets game back on August 21st, 1997, her first call was to Jason, an officer with the Tuxedo Park Police Department.
When she reached a dispatcher, she could tell by their voice that something was wrong. Stephanie was told that Officer Jason Conklin was not available. Shortly after the call, she learned that Conklin was killed in the line of duty at the age of 22.
Nearly three decades later, Conklin still remembers Jason fondly and is touched by the way the Orange County law enforcement community continues to honor her brother and others killed in the line of duty.
In recognition of National Police Week, the Fraternal Order of Police, Jason Conklin Memorial Lodge #957, will host its annual wreath-laying ceremony at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the Orange County Courthouse in Goshen. The event pays tribute to the 48 police officers, State Troopers, and federal agents who were killed in the line of duty.
“Sometimes it is hard to talk about Jason, but it keeps his memory alive, and more people are introduced to him,” said Stephanie Conklin, who lives in Monroe. “My family will never forget Jason, and it means so much that 29 years later, people show up to support him and keep his legacy alive. It means the world to all of the families who have lost someone in the line of duty.”
Jason Conklin had just two months on the job when he was killed in an automobile accident while attempting to stop a speeding vehicle. Officer Conklin’s patrol vehicle, a Ford Expedition, left the roadway as he attempted to catch the vehicle from a stationary radar location. He was ejected from the vehicle as a result of the crash.
The memorial service will last approximately 30 minutes and is open to members of the law enforcement community and the public. The event will be held outdoors and will take place rain or shine.
“We pause during this solemn week to remember our fallen officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice and to reassure their loved ones that their sacrifice has not been forgotten by those who hold the Thin Blue Line,” said Mike McGinn, President of FOP #957.
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