Wilmington ceremony honors fallen law enforcement officers across Cape Fear region

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A ceremony held Monday, May 18th at the Wilmington Police Department honored the law enforcement officers, deputies and troopers who lost their lives while serving communities across the Cape Fear region.

The annual memorial ceremony, held at Wilmington Police Headquarters on Bess Street, brought together officers, family members and local leaders in a solemn tribute to the fallen and a reminder of the dangers law enforcement officers face each day.

“I think it’s an honor to the officers who have fallen and to their families,” said retired Wayne Norris. “I think it’s showing respect. You don’t want to forget ’em.”

Norris, who spent 31 years with the Wilmington Police Department, said the ceremony also served as a personal reminder of officers he knew who were killed in the line of duty.

“There was an officer named Nunalee back in the ’70s who was killed on Wrightsville Avenue in an ambush,” Norris said. “I was close to Nunalee. It was tough, it took a while, I’ve never gotten over it, but I’ve accepted it.”

Officer James Nunalee Sr. was among 18 officers, deputies and troopers honored during the ceremony.

Dozens of officers from the Wilmington and Carolina Beach police departments, along with deputies from the New Hanover and Brunswick County Sheriff’s Offices and troopers with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol, attended the event to pay their respects.

Family members of fallen officers and deputies also participated in the ceremony, which is held annually during or shortly after National Law Enforcement Week, held this year between May 10th and 16th.

The memorial comes as Wilmington police have recently responded to several high-profile incidents, including two downtown stabbings, an officer-involved shooting, and an incident Sunday involving a suspect accused of punching an officer after stealing and crashing a fire truck.

Wilmington Police Chief Ryan Zuidema said those situations reflect the unpredictable and dangerous nature of law enforcement work.

“There’s obviously a lot of unknowns. It’s a very dangerous job for the men and women,” Zuidema said. “That is certainly demonstrated here tonight, how dangerous this job can be. But we want to make sure we provide all of our officers the best training we can, the best equipment we can and make sure that they have the support they need to go out and do their job each and every day.”

Norris said serving in law enforcement is more than a profession.

“Most definitely a calling,” he said. “It’s not something you just come in looking for a job. It’s got to be a calling. And I think it’s a special breed of men and women that receives the call.”

Zuidema also noted the ceremony comes as the department prepares for the busy summer season, with large crowds expected across Wilmington and the Cape Fear region during Memorial Day weekend and throughout the coming months.