After years of planning, coordination and fundraising, the Texas Panhandle First Responders Memorial reached a major milestone Thursday, Jan. 29 with a groundbreaking ceremony marking the start of construction on the regionwide project.
Community leaders, first responders, donors and families gathered at the downtown site near 11th Avenue and South Polk Street, adjacent to the historic Bivins home, where the memorial will be built on city-owned land secured through a partnership with the City of Amarillo.
The ceremony opened with a presentation of the colors by the Potter County Sheriff’s Office, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by Potter County Sheriff Brian Thomas and a prayer offered by Bill Sheldon.
The memorial will honor law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical services personnel from the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle who died in the line of duty. Organizers said the memorial will initially recognize 108 individuals representing 49 first-responder agencies across the region.
“Today, we gathered not merely to break soil, but to break silence — to ensure the courage, sacrifice and service of our first responders are never forgotten,” Thomas said. “They serve without hesitation, often without recognition and too often without knowing if they will ever return home.”
Thomas said the memorial is intended not only as a place of remembrance, but also as a way to help future generations understand the realities of public safety work.
“So often, people see a badge or a uniform and don’t think about what’s behind it,” he said. “They don’t see the families waiting at home or the risks that come with answering that call. This memorial tells that story.”
He said the location was chosen to ensure families across the Panhandle have a nearby place to reflect, particularly those who may not be able to travel to statewide memorials in Austin.
“There are big memorials downstate, but not everyone can get there,” Thomas said. “This gives families a place right here at home to sit, remember and know their loved one’s sacrifice mattered.”
“This groundbreaking represents more than construction,” Thomas said. “It represents unity across agencies, across communities and across generations. While the badge, the uniform or the patch may differ, the mission remains the same: to serve, to protect and to stand in the gap for others.”
The project is led by Friends of AJ Swope, a Texas nonprofit formed following the death of AJ Swope to honor first responders who lost their lives in service across the Panhandle. In August 2022, the organization signed a $1-a-year lease agreement with the City of Amarillo for the downtown site, allowing the group to move forward with fundraising and design planning.
Todd Beckum, a former Amarillo police officer and president of the Friends of AJ Swope board of directors, said the groundbreaking marked the culmination of a three- to four-year effort that at times appeared uncertain.
“Something like this cannot be accomplished by a few,” Beckum said. “It has to take an entire community working together.”
Gary Pitner, a board member with Friends of AJ Swope, said the project relied on nearly 300 donations ranging from $10 to $200,000.
“We met monthly for years,” Pitner said. “Every donation and every conversation helped move this forward. The community never let this vision die.”
Pitner said outreach to families of fallen first responders helped shape the memorial’s purpose and design.
“Those families trusted us with their stories,” he said. “That responsibility stayed with us every step of the way.”
Friends of AJ Swope has partnered with Turner Land Architects, Sims + Architects and Southwest General Contractors to design and build the memorial. Organizers said construction is expected to be completed in October 2026.
As ceremonial shovels turned soil Thursday afternoon, Thomas said the memorial will ultimately serve as both a place of mourning and a reminder of why first responders choose to serve.
“No one goes into this work expecting to make the ultimate sacrifice,” he said. “But those who did gave everything so the rest of us could live safely. This memorial makes sure they are never forgotten.”
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Texas Panhandle first responders memorial breaks ground in Amarillo
Reporting by Michael Cuviello, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
