FAIRWAY, Kan — The Fairway community is uniting following the Fairway Police Department's first line of duty death.
According to US Census data, 4,000 people call this small Johnson County city home. It's a small-knit community that is banding together after loosing one of their own.
"All of us in this community are just really shaken by the tragic loss of this wonderful police officer who dedicated his life to protect us," said Daly O'Brien who has lives in Fairway.
O'Brien has lived in the same Fairway home for more than 50 years. Throughout the years, O'Brien has turned to her department for help in protecting her home and keeping her family out of harms way.
"I've been here for 52 years and I raised my children here, when we'd leave town I'd call and they [Fairway Police] would watch the house for us while we were gone," recalled O'Brien, "during the summer evenings when the kids were out playing, the police would always stop by and say hello and let them know they were watching."
O'Brien is one of the many Fairway residents who are expressing their gratitude and support by tying blue ribbons on trees throughout her neighborhood. While she didn't know fallen officer Jonah Oswald personally, she says his sacrifice won't be forgotten by her and the rest of her community.
"There is a father, there's a husband, there's a brother, there's a son, there is a nephew that is a human being, that's human life, and that has a lot of effect on a lot of people," said O'Brien.
Ivry Karamitros is also taking part in her community's call to action. Even though, she has lived in Fairway for less than two years, Oswald's dedication to being a public servant reminded her of her own family's service.
"My partner, he's served and is an Iraq veteran, even though we're this far removed from it, I still feel the effects and he definitely does," expalined Karamitros, "I identify a little bit with the sacrifices and we appreciate that we support them."
