By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — Nearly 100 people attended the unveiling and dedication of a memorial to fallen New York State Troopers from the Olean Substation outside SP Olean on Sunday.
The memorial honors Trooper Ross M. Riley, who died during a training exercise at Letchworth State Park in 2013, and Trooper Joseph J. Mecca Jr., who died in 2020 of cancer caused from breathing contaminated dust during many assignments at Ground Zero in New York City.
Their widows, retired Sgt. Heidi Riley, who was station commander when her husband died; and Linda Mecca, each placed a memorial wreath in front of the memorial.
A misty rain fell as they unveiled the memorial stones with bronze plaques in front of the substation and forensic laboratory on Homer Street. They gave each other a long hug after removing the purple sheets from the memorials.
State Police Investigator Robert Sawicki Sr., who helped spearhead the memorial and offered welcoming remarks, said the two troopers are now “on eternal watch” over each trooper as they depart and return safely at the end of their shifts. Inv. Sawicki worked with both Riley and Mecca.
The memorial to Troopers Riley and Mecca was conceived by Sawicki’s son, Trooper Robert Sawicki Jr., who was given a card with Mecca’s name as his “Silent Partner” at the State Police Academy in Albany.
Ironically, the Meccas and Sawickis were friends, so Trooper Sawicki was pleasantly surprised to draw Mecca’s name when the Silent Partners were being assigned at the State Police Academy.
A trooper is directed to carry the photo of their Silent Partner at all times when on duty, the Inv. Sawicki said. It is a fairly new program. They are to know many details of their Silent Partner including date into and out of service and “the date they paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
Trooper Sawicki, who is currently assigned to the Wayland State Police barracks, said there is also a commemorative requirement regarding Silent Partners.
His first thought was a bronze plaque inside the State Police substation honoring Mecca. After discussing it with his father, it evolved into the memorial for both Mecca and Riley.
Inv. Sawicki said State Police officials encouraged the memorials to the Line of Duty Deaths of Riley and Mecca outside the Olean substation. “They loved the idea and said to run with it.”
One of those officials was Troop A Zone 2 Commander Amy Farletto who said she worked with both Troopers Riley and Mecca when she was stationed in Olean. She said the memorial was a tribute to the troopers which would be visible to patrol cars coming in and out of the substation.
Inv. Sawicki thanked everyone who helped raise funds for the memorial, from selling raffle tickets, to donors who didn’t know either fallen trooper.
Inv. Sawicki said the memorial “is an amazing community effort.” State police volunteers poured the footings and foundation for the memorial and set footings for the flagpoles, which were donated.
On their eternal watch, “Ross and Joe will now watch over every trooper” as they drive in and out of the substation. “That’s the kind of guys they are.”
“It’s really beautiful that they thought enough to do this,” Heidi Riley after the ceremony. “It started with a card.”
Her husband “would be very humbled and honored” by the ceremony,” but he probably “would not really feel like he deserved this much hoopla,” she smiled.
Linda Mecca said, “It’s amazing to me how sweet people have been. Robert and Robbie (Sawicki) have done so much work on this.”
Asked how her husband would have felt about the ceremony, she replied: “He would have hated it, but he would have done it for everyone else.”
Both the Meccas and the Rileys went to many state police funerals over their years of service. Many of those who attended the funerals of their husbands also attended the unveiling of the memorial.
Heii Riley’s father, Jim Dungey gave the invocation and benediction.
Troopers Timothy Kempf and Anthony Sparacino raised the American flag over the memorial and escorted Heidy Riley and Linda Mecca to unveil their husbands’ memorial. The National Anthem was sung by Trooper Martin Hatch.
Those attending were invited to a luncheon inside the substation following the memorial dedication ceremony.
