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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 11, 2007

Officer's family will meet Bush

By Peter Boylan
Advertiser Staff Writer

Officer Steve Favela

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ABOUT THE EVENT

A wreath-laying ceremony for officers killed in the line of duty is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Eastern time Tuesday at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, 400 Block of E Street, NW, Washington, D.C.

For more information, go to http://www.nleomf.com/index.htm.

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Officers salute in front of Honolulu Police Department headquarters to pay their final respects to motorcycle officer Steve Favela.

Advertiser library photo

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President George Bush, at a law enforcement memorial ceremony on Tuesday, will meet with the family of a Honolulu police officer who died after he crashed escorting the presidential motorcade here last year, Honolulu police officials said.

Steve Favela, an eight-year veteran of the Honolulu Police Department, died Nov. 26 from injuries he suffered in a wreck five days earlier at Hickam Air Force Base.

Favela's wife, Barbara, and her four children — three sons and a daughter — will join Honolulu police Chief Boisse P. Correa, Deputy Chief Glen Kajiyama, Capt. Frank T. Fujii and Sgt. Andrew Lum at a wreath-laying ceremony at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., police said.

Police officials say they have been told Bush will meet Favela after the ceremony to thank her for her husband's service.

Favela was one of 145 federal, state and local law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty last year, the lowest total since 1999 when 143 fatalities occurred, according to the Web site of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund.

"The survivors are the people who really pay the ultimate sacrifice, so it's the very least we can do for the families. The memorial service honors the sacrifice that their loved ones made and it provides education for spouses and entire families about how to start the healing process," Correa said yesterday.

"They can really learn from the (other) survivors. These are people that have gone through this grief and they are invaluable. They (the Favelas) don't need to feel all alone while dealing with this; there are people who have walked in their shoes and are there to lend support."

HPD covers travel and lodging expenses for families of fallen officers who choose to attend the ceremony.

Favela died at 9:55 a.m. Nov. 26 from injuries suffered when he crashed on a rain-slick road as he escorted Bush's motorcade to a breakfast with troops.

He was one of three motorcycle officers who crashed near a bend along O'Malley Boulevard as the motorcade left Hickam. The two other officers were treated at a hospital and released.

Favela was the 12th Honolulu motorcycle officer to die in the line of duty since 1923.

An investigation conducted by the U.S. Secret Service determined that Favela followed protocol that morning while escorting Bush's motorcade and did nothing to cause the collision that resulted in his death.

A separate Honolulu police traffic investigation is pending.

Favela joined HPD in 1998 and was a member of the 129th Recruit Class.

After graduating from recruit school, he served as a patrol officer in Kalihi before transferring to the traffic division's motorcycle detail in 2004.

Reach Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.