Boone County, Indiana, just lately celebrated its fifth annual Jacob Pickett Remembrance Day in honor of fallen Deputy Jacob Pickett, who was killed within the line of obligation in March 2018.
Yearly, the Jacob Pickett Response Group — a nonprofit based by Jacob’s spouse, Jen — rallies collectively at Boone County Fairgrounds to recollect Jacob’s service to the neighborhood and assist regulation enforcement households throughout the nation.
The occasion showcased police demonstrations, craft and enterprise distributors, bouncy homes for teenagers, a silent public sale, the annual Deputy Pickett Blood Drive and the most recent addition — a 5K marathon.
Zionsville Police Officer Chris Wheeler additionally participated in a Boone County Particular Response Staff demonstration, showcasing using less-than-lethal rounds, pepper rounds and 45 mm. spongy rounds shot from a launcher.
The occasion aimed to lift $20,000 this 12 months.
“We proceed to develop yearly,” Jen stated.
Jen stated she began the muse to honor her husband.
“He gave his complete coronary heart and soul to different folks. Whether or not it was to serve and defend or if it was to his family and friends. He lived life wholeheartedly,” Jen stated.
Deputy Jacob Pickett was killed within the line of obligation after chasing a suspect together with his Okay-9 accomplice, Brik, on March 5, 2018.
Lebanon police initially served a warrant for a lady’s arrest however acknowledged one other wished individual, John D. Baldwin Jr., who had an excellent warrant.
Baldwin ignored orders from police to cease, and fled the scene in a automobile with two others.
Deputy Pickett and several other different Boone County sheriff’s deputies assisted Lebanon cops in a brief automobile pursuit.
The automobile instantly stopped and the occupants exited and started to run on foot.
Through the foot pursuit, Deputy Pickett sustained a deadly gunshot wound. He died after a number of days on life assist, forsaking a spouse and two kids.
Now, yearly, the Jacob Pickett Response Group raises funds for a regulation enforcement household in have to proceed Jacob’s legacy.
“One thing we’re actually happy with is that within the final three years, we now have given to seven households practically $45,000, and that’s two in Boone County alone,” Jen stated.
Among the many households helped by the group consists of one whose daughter was recognized with leukemia and a household whose husband died of most cancers.
“Jake simply wished to assist. He wished to assist folks, he’d assist them whether or not he was on obligation or not, and that’s why our mantra or our hashtag is #RespondLikeJake. Jake would step up and do what he may for anybody, and that’s precisely what we do as a corporation. We reply like Jake would,” Jen stated.
Boone County Sheriff Tony Harris additionally spoke on the occasion.
“He gave and gave. Not solely the last word sacrifice, however he additionally gave to folks day-after-day. He was a folks individual, and he cherished his job,” the sheriff stated.
Households could be nominated to obtain funding or households can nominate themselves by submitting functions to the group.
“We’ll preserve responding like Jake and letting folks know the way he lived his life. Not how he died, however by how he lived his life, and we try this by serving to the regulation enforcement household,” Jen added.
