More News

Every year David Duffany, 33, of Riverdale Park attends a national memorial service in Washington, D.C., that honors police officers who died throughout the year in the line of duty.

But after the 2005 event — in the year when Prince George's County Police officer Sgt. Steven Gaughan was killed in the line of duty — Duffany decided to create his own memorial to pay tribute to officers such as Gaughan.

Duffany said he was friendly with Gaughan before Gaughan was killed during an attempted traffic stop in Laurel.

Duffany recently completed a large banner displaying police patches from 100 public safety agencies nationwide. He displays the banner at police and community events, such as Edmonston Day, as a way to bring attention to fallen officers.

"It's their legacy I'm leaving behind," Duffany said of the banner. "To me, their memories are not forgotten."

Duffany began collecting patches in 2005 from local police agencies and from those as far away as Honolulu. He spent this summer sewing the 100 patches on a 5-by-8-foot banner. The patches "symbolize their officers who have passed," Duffany said.

Duffany's passion for law enforcement began when, as a sixth-grader, he was befriended by his school's safety patrol officer. He went on police ride-alongs and had aspirations of becoming a police officer.

But he said he has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, and a borderline anxiety disorder, which became one obstacle to him becoming an officer.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, symptoms of ADHD include difficulty staying focused, paying attention or controlling behavior and hyperactivity.

"I don't let that get in my way," he said. "I learned a long time ago, if you take the focus off of you and you reflect on someone else, your problems go away. And I just love helping out people so much."

Duffany also is a volunteer for the Riverdale Heights Fire Department, where he serves as chaplain, and works part time at CVS.

Police officials and his fellow parishioners at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Riverdale say they are impressed by his drive and dedication to the work.

"He does have limitations, but in the midst of the limitations, he finds a way to help others, which has always impressed me," said St. John's pastor Sue Tyykila.

Riverdale Park was the first department to give Duffany a patch. Police Chief Teresa Chambers said people such as Duffany make officers feel appreciated.

"We could not be more honored with the work that David did, by hand-sewing patches on individually with such compassion, with such pride in his work and pride for the men and women in uniform," Chambers said.

Duffany said he hopes to donate his banner to the National Law Enforcement Museum, which is slated to be completed in 2013. In the meantime, Duffany's banner is welcome to be hung in her department, Chambers said

"It has a home here," she said.

E-mail Elahe Izadi at eizadi@gazette.net.