Bucks County Lights Police Memorial Wreath

The County of Bucks ushered in the holiday season Monday with the annual Project Blue Light wreath lighting ceremony honoring law enforcement officers lost in the line of duty.

The wreath will remain lit through the holidays in honor of the 16 law enforcement officers from Bucks County who died in the line of duty since 1898. Adorned with blue lights and white ornaments - one ornament for each fallen officer - the wreath is displayed from the third floor of the rotunda in the County Administration Building.

"Lighting this wreath is a simple gesture, but we must not forget that we display it to honor those who gave everything in service to their communities," said Commissioner Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia. "I keep my porch light blue during the Christmas season, and I'm proud that for so many years we've able to shine blue lights here for all Bucks County residents and visitors to see."

This year's honor roll includes:

• Pennsylvania State Deputy Constable Erwin Mondeau, 1898
• Pennsylvania State Constable Henry A. Kolbe, 1914
• Bucks County Sheriff Abram L. Kulp, 1927
• Quakertown Borough Police Officer Edward W. Shearer, 1936
• Dublin Borough Police Chief Eli M. Myers, 1965
• Bristol Township Police Detective George F. Stuckey, 1972
• Bensalem Township Police Officer James K. Armstrong, 1975
• Bensalem Township Police Officer Robert A. Yezzi, 1980
• Bucks County Deputy Sheriff Thomas A. Bateman, 1986
• Bucks County Deputy Sheriff George M. Warta, Jr., 1986
• Bucks County Ranger Stanley E. Flynn, 1993
• Plumstead Township Police Officer Joseph E. Hanusey III, 2002
• Newtown Borough Police Officer Brian S. Gregg, 2005
• Middletown Township Police Officer Christopher C. Jones, 2009
• Bucks County Ranger Thomas Booz, 2020
• Warrington Township K9 Officer Stephen C. Plum, 2022

Project Blue Light is a nationwide observance begun more than 30 years ago by Dolly Craig of Philadelphia.

PHOTO: Pictured above from left, Bucks County Director of Law Enforcement and Safety Department Rich Vona, Warrington Township Police Chief Dan Friel, Bucks County Commissioner Gene DiGirolamo, Commissioner Chair Diane Ellis-Marseglia, Commissioner Vice Chair Bob Harvie, District Attorney Jennifer Schorn and Middletown Township Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla.

In 1988, Craig placed two blue candle lights in the window of her home: one in honor of her son-in-law, Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Gleason, killed in the line of duty 1986; and one for her daughter Pam, Gleason's wife, who died in an auto crash in 1988. The couple had six children.

Craig wrote of her simple gesture to Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) an organization dedicated to families of fallen officers, which helped the idea take hold nationally.

Media Contact: James O'Malley, 215-348-6414, [email protected]