It could be another year before a group decides whether a fallen Wisconsin police officer’s name will be included on a national memorial.
Officials with the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund have decided to delay a decision on adding Jennifer Sebena’s name to the memorial until at least 2014. The non-profit was expected to meet today to reconsider an earlier decision to reject her name, but Jim Palmer with the Wisconsin Professional Police Association says board members told him they opted to wait instead.
Sebena’s name was initially rejected for the Memorial because the Wauwatosa officer died as the result of a domestic incident. Sebena was shot and killed Christmas Eve while on duty. Her husband has been charged with her murder.
Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen called the decision extremely disappointing and simply not good enough, noting that “in a single moment, officer Sebena lost her life while serving to protect her community. Now this board wants to take a year to determine whether she’s deserving of this honor as a fallen officer.”
Van Hollen is encouraging “all of my partners in law enforcement to voice their dissatisfaction and urge the Memorial to honor Jennifer’s sacrifice.”