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TPD honors fallen officers in annual memorial

Toledo police honored those who have died in the line of duty in a memorial at Civic Center Mall on Monday.

TOLEDO, OH (Toledo News Now) - Toledo police honored those who have died in the line of duty in a memorial at Civic Center Mall on Monday.

The memorial honors 30 Toledo police officers and dozens more from area departments who were killed in the line of duty. The annual service, which is held during National Police Week, includes the reading of the names of those lost, as well as a dedication wreath.

Learn more about Toledo's fallen heroes.

The ceremony includes a tribute to Detective Keith Dressel, who was the last member of the department to die in the line of duty back in 2007. Since his death, his parents and wife have attended each year.

Now his story has been documented so everyone knows a little more about the detective and what happened that fateful night. The book remembers more than just his name, it tells his story.

City Soldiers: A Collection of True Crime Stories is written by former Toledo police officer Frank Stiles. It contains 10 stories about brave police officers who came close to death, or lost their lives.

Det. Dressel's story starts from the beginning, telling the reader about his killer, what happened that night, and follows the story through to the funeral and trial.

It's a tribute the Dressel family is grateful will be around for their grandkids to read.

"For Frank Stiles to write this book, and do a whole section on Keith and to put his picture - that I took in my driveway - on the cover. Just that people can read it and understand who Keith was and who Keith really is, I'm not gonna say 'was' because he still lives on," said Larraine Dressel, Keith's mother.

It's a gift this author was happy to give them.

"They were very excited and very encouraging and really wanted the book written for the children and for the history of it and so people wouldn't forget," said author Frank Stiles.

The book is now available at online retailers, as well as Barnes and Noble locations.
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