Editor’s note: This article has been changed from its original version. The date of the event has been corrected.

MOULTRIE, Ga. – In honor of National Police Week, the Moultrie Police Department will be holding its annual Officer Down Memorial at 10 a.m. Friday, May 15, at the amphitheater on the square.

“Because of the epidemic, we’re only officially inviting city and county officials,” said Moultrie Police Department Chief Sean Ladson. “Unfortunately, we won’t have a speaker, but we’ll still be doing our best to honor our local officers and the fallen officers across Georgia like we do every year.”

The memorial usually consists of speakers from all over who memorialize the fallen officers, a wreath laying and a recognition of those being honored. This year’s iteration of the ceremony will be a little different however.

“We’re going to be enacting social distancing, and it’s sad that we have to do that this year; obviously this the first year that we’ll be enforcing this sort of rule,” Ladson said. “We’re going to try to keep the crowd small. It’ll be a brief memorial. We’ll mention the names and lay the wreaths and say a prayer. 

“If other civilians show up to the event, I’m not going to stop them. I can’t stop them, not from coming to honor the fallen officers,” he said. But if they do show up, we’re going to try to at least enforce the six feet of social distancing rule.”