INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday marked two years since IMPD Officer Breann Leath was shot and killed in the line of duty.
The 24-year-old mother and veteran of the National Guard had been with IMPD for three years when she made the ultimate sacrifice on April 9, 2020. She and three other officers were responding to a domestic violence call when she was shot.
But the spirit of the young IMPD officer lives among the scores of officers she worked with and through the many initiatives they've started in her honor.
In a series of tributes on social media Saturday, IMPD officers remembered their friend and colleague as a hero.
In all of their posts, IMPD emphasized that it's not how she died that made her a hero, but how she lived.
"She was an Officer who was a shining example. She did the right things, at the right times, for the right reasons," IMPD East District said in a Facebook post.
The official IMPD account tweeted, "We not only remember her sacrifice, but the way she lived and the impact she had on so many."
IMPD's Kendale Adams echoed this sentiment, saying that Saturday was a day for honoring, celebrating and remembering Leath's "incredible life and the impact she had."
She may be gone, but IMPD, as well as state and U.S. leaders, have made sure she's not forgotten in the years since her passing.
The nursery at the Indiana Women's Prison was renamed the Officer Breann Leath Memorial Maternal-Child Health Unit by Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb two weeks after her death.
Since then, the efforts to honor and remember Leath have continued.
IMPD East District officers gathered at Crown Hill Cemetery on Saturday to honor and celebrate Leath's life and legacy.
IMPD said those in attendance were encouraged to “Be Like Bre” when interacting with those they serve. Breann’s parents were present and thanked the officers for their ongoing support of their family. The remembrance included a moment of silence to honor Leath's ultimate sacrifice.
On Tuesday, IMPD hosted its second annual "Bre Challenge" in her honor. Those who knew Leath best will laugh as they tell you she wasn't a big fan of working out, but that didn't stop dozens of IMPD officers, along with Leath's young son and the community, from coming out to "Be Like Bre."
“She would tell me today that I was crazy for doing the workout," said friend and fellow IMPD Ofc. Desiree Biggers. “She would have given you the shirt off her back ... I miss my friend. I’d give anything to just get a hug."
And these efforts are just the tip of the iceberg.
Leath was also among 491 fallen officers that President Joe Biden paid tribute to during the 40th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service last October.
Plus, IMPD launched the LEATH Initiative in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana. LEATH stands for Law Enforcement Action to Halt domestic violence against men, women and children.
The LEATH Initiative targets domestic violence offenders who commit crimes with illegally owned guns. Those who have a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction, are the subject of a final protective order, or have a state or federal felony conviction are at the center of the investigations.
The LEATH Initiative also works to support victims of domestic violence by having officers connect domestic survivors and witnesses with social services in their communities to help.