Compco’s Captured Moments Art Honors Fallen Officers

COLUMBIANA, Ohio — In the photo studio of Compco Industries, Ryan Keller, general manager of Captured Moments Art, assembles lithographs of men and women in law enforcement who died in the line of duty last year.

It’s the 10th year Keller has put the memorials together, he said. He’ll work for five months until all 228 memorials are done.

“To me, it’s an honor,” Keller said. “It’s something I can do locally to support my community, the police officers and their families.”

Today he leaves for Washington, D.C., the day before National Police Week begins. Along with Rick Kamperman, Compco board member, they will spend three days personally delivering the memorial art pieces to the family members of the officers.

“You see a lot of tears,” Keller said. “But when a family hangs the painting with their officer’s picture on the wall of their home, it gives them an opportunity to start a conversation with visitors and remember their loved one. I believe it’s part of the healing process.”

Each lithograph features the the National Law Enforcement Memorial in Washington, D.C, a uniformed honor guard embracing a folded American flag, lions – which symbolize the heroism of each officer – and a photo of the honored officer with the end of watch, or EOW, date.

This will be Kamperman’s first time attending police week. Before coming to Compco, he spent nearly eight years as a gang unit investigator with the Houston Police Department in Texas. A few years ago, his partner was shot three times while on a call, paralyzing him below the waist, Kamperman said.

Despite the danger officers face daily, Kamperman feels they are often made to be the “bad guys” in today’s culture, he said.

“There’s not a lot of thanks in the police community … it’s a thankless job,” Kamperman said. “This is our way of saying ‘Hey, somebody does care.’ And we care a lot.”

For more information on this police memorial art project, visit HonorDutySacrifice.com. For more information on National Police Week event, visit PoliceWeek.org.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.