On a sunny morning in October 2014, a bell was struck eight times at the dedication ceremony for the Monterey County, California, Sheriff’s Memorial, ringing in the names of eight deputies who died serving their community. The monument is created from concrete and includes green and tan sections representing the uniform colors. Standing in the center, a badge represents public trust, honor, and law and order. A gentle curve in the memorial’s wall signifies the enclosing wings of the eagle on the badge. The wall faces east to west, so as the sun rises it casts its rays upon these fallen officers all day until the last sunbeam sets over the ocean. Eight sycamore trees, native to California, stand watch over the eight fallen deputies and symbolize protection, strength, and eternity. Leading to the memorial is a curved pathway called the “Heroes Path,” representative of the life the deputies sacrificed. A blue light illuminates the wall just above the name plates, representing the “thin blue line” of law enforcement.