Students Create Hand Prints To Remember Sacrifice During Police Memorial Week
DENVER (CBS4)- A kindergarten student at Dora Moore School has a family member who is honored on Denver Police Department's Fallen Officer Memorial. Arion Sandoval is only 5 years old, but already understands the sacrifice his uncle made. Now, his classmates do too.
"Uncle Ronnie went to heaven when he was 32," said Arion, "I'm wearing his badge. It says 96-39."
Denver Police Officer Ron DeHerrera was killed in the line of duty in 1997. It was his second day on the job.
Arion wanted to gift Denver Police something for Police Memorial Week. His mother, Christine Sandoval, suggested Arion and his classmates create something together.
"DPD is always doing so much for fallen officers' families. I feel like this is an opportunity we can do something for them," said Christine.
Each person in the kindergarten class dipped a hand in blue paint, then pressed it on a piece of paper. Christine linked the blue hand prints together to form a line.
"We are going to create the thin blue line that represents the line we have between the police and the public. We're going to do 32 hand prints, each representing a year of his life," said Christine, "It's something that means a lot to our family. It lets Arion know who his uncle was."
Christine hopes the project will start a positive relationship between students and law enforcement.
"It makes me feel like he's still a part of our lives and he means so much to us. I couldn't ask for anything more," said Christine.
Next week the students will deliver the gift to Denver Police District One, where DeHerrera used to work.