Every year, we honor those that sacrificed and served in a memorial service held during Police Week. However, this year, one of our own was nationally recognized.

Glenn Martinez was a senior officer for the Guam Department of Corrections. He served 23 years before passing away last November from Covid. This year, he was nationally honored during the 33rd Annual Candlelight Vigil in Washington D.C. His widow, Lisa Phillips says it took them by surprise that his DOC family submitted his name.

"I actually didn't know that DOC had you know sent in his name to be a part of the memorial," she said. "It's a great honor to have found out that DOC went ahead and did it."

In addition, Glenn's name has also been engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington D.C.

"It'll be there forever to show of course, you know his love for the job that kept him there throughout the pandemic, and ultimately how he you know, how he passed doing what he loved," she said. 

His daughter, Alyssa Martinez, expressed how they've been overwhelmed by the love and support they've received both from home and abroad.

"There was so many different kind of things that we received from many different police departments, Department of Corrections around the world and for them to still honor him up to this date it brings so much comfort to our hearts," she said. 

The mother and daughter hope to have friends and family gather for Glenn's first death anniversary, because social gathering restrictions didn't allow it for the funeral.

"Our grieving is still with those who haven't been able to come you know and hug us and be with us and it's just all through texting and talking over the phone, which helps, but you know the presence of the person and the people help with the grieving process," Alyssa Martinez said.