Ritchie Bill to Rename Bridge in Honor of Fallen Trooper Joel Davis

State Senator Patty Ritchie announced on Thursday that she has introduced legislation to honor fallen New York State Trooper Joel Davis by renaming a bridge in his honor.

Under the measure, the bridge over the Indian River on State Route 26 in the Village of Theresa would be renamed the " New York State Trooper Joel R. Davis Memorial Bridge."  Trooper Davis recently lost his life while responding to a call for help in Theresa.

"Words simply cannot describe how grateful we are for the selfless service of Trooper Joel Davis," said Senator Ritchie.

"Trooper Davis was willing to put his own safety on the line to protect ours. This legislation is way to honor his sacrifice and remember how dedicated he was to serving the public and his community."

"Trooper Davis was a dedicated public servant, family man and friend to so many in our region and beyond," said Jonathan Walker, Mayor of the Village of Theresa. "Our Village is proud to partner with Senator Ritchie to pay tribute to Trooper Davis, a man who meant so much to our community and will always be remembered for the way he laid down his life to protect our safety."

“During his decade of service with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and during his time with the New York State Police, Trooper Davis was the definition of brave, always willing to step into harm’s way in order to protect the people of our region," said Jefferson County Sheriff Colleen O’Neill.  “By renaming this bridge in his honor, the memory of Trooper Davis will be preserved for generations to come and will help inspire the officers of tomorrow who will follow in his footsteps to serve their communities.”   

Prior to becoming a member of the New York State Police in 2013, Trooper Davis served as a member of the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department for ten years.  He was an active member of his community, who devoted time to youth sports programs in the region.

(Attn. photo editors: State Senator Patty Ritchie is pictured in the above photo at Thursday’s announcement alongside Village of Theresa Mayor Jonathan Walker.  Pictured in the background are representatives of the New York State Police and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department who are positioned on the State Route 26 Bridge over the Indian River, which under Senator Ritchie’s legislation would be renamed in honor of Trooper Joel Davis)