Memorial to Slain Officers Is Unveiled

The Los Angeles Police Department on Tuesday unveiled a “memorial walk,” replete with gold-trimmed stars, to honor the five police officers from the Hollywood station who have died in the line of duty since 1936.

The walk, its stars marked with the slain officers’ names and year of death, is on the sidewalk in front the Hollywood station.

About 75 guests, 75 solemn-faced uniformed police personnel and Police Chief Willie L. Williams paid respects to Detective Russell Lee Kuster, shot in a Hollywood restaurant on Oct. 9, 1990; Officer Robert J. Cote, shot when he tried to stop a robbery at Woolworth’s on July 31, 1969; Officer Ian James Campbell, who was kidnaped and shot on March 10, 1963, his death later becoming the subject of the Joseph Wambaugh book, “The Onion Field”; Officer Clay Noble Hunt, who died in a traffic accident while investigating the death of a cartoonist on Feb. 22, 1955, and Officer Clyde Pritchett, who was shot while responding to a domestic dispute on Feb. 17, 1936.

Many of the family members said they were grateful for the memorial walk, although it brought back painful memories.

Cote’s son, Robert, 24, became a police officer. He is now the age his father was when he was killed.

“I don’t think it ever gets any better. I looked forward to this day, but I dreaded it too,” said Sue Kuster, whose husband was the most recent to be killed. “Russ never thought he made a difference, but I believe this city cared about these people.”

Hollywood Sgt. Bruce Wilson, who spent the past year organizing the event, described the sidewalk as “a monument. It’s holy ground and should be treated as such.”