By Taylor J. Hale
Reporter

STEVENS POINT — Stevens Point police officers are currently wearing “black mourning bands” on their badges in honor of fallen Milwaukee Officer Matthew Rittner. Rittner was murdered in Milwaukee while on
duty serving a warrant on Feb. 6.

“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and Milwaukee Police Department for the loss of their officer in the line of duty today,” read a message from the Stevens Point Police Department Facebook page. “All SPPD Officers will begin wearing black mourning bands on their badges immediately in honor of the fallen officer. Gone but Not Forgotten.”

Flags throughout the area are also set to rise to half-staff in remembrance of the young officer who dutifully gave his life, ordered by Governor Tony Evers. Flags will remain half-staff until Rittner’s internment. The act of solidarity by Stevens Point officers has moved the community.

According to Officer Down Memorial Page, a site that honors and statistically catalogs thousands of fallen American officers, Rittner is one of 285 “line of duty deaths” in the state. Of those tragic deaths, 64 have taken place in Milwaukee. Rittner is one of seven officers to be killed while in service since the start of 2019.

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