ST. PAUL, Minnesota (WCCO) – Five Minnesota police officers killed in the line of duty last year were honored at the state Capitol on Sunday as part of National Peace Officer Memorial Day.
Governor Tim Walz joined police across the state to pay their respects in the first in-person ceremony since 2019
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“These names should never be forgotten, and their sacrifice should always be on the minds of the people of Minnesota,” Walz said. “The gift they are giving Minnesotans of safety in our homes and communities is unimaginable, but it comes at a terrible price.”
The ceremony took place next to the Minnesota Fallen Officers Memorial, a tangible reminder of their ultimate sacrifice.
The Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association has developed a non-physical way to permanently honor the lives of these officers: NFTs.
(credit: MPPOA/CBS)
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“It’s like a digital tombstone,” Edina’s retired police sergeant said. Kevin Rofidal.
NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token, and it’s basically images, graphics, or videos online that can be verified as unique and genuine.
The MPPOA created 2,021 NFTs depicting a rotating police challenge coin with the names and agencies of the six Minnesota officers who died in the line of duty last year.
A $20 donation to the MPPOA comes with the option to own one of the NFTs.
“It becomes a way to commemorate them forever and then, you know, you can collect them,” Rofidal said. “This is just the first in a series that we plan to launch. At this time, we are the only ones in the world that we know of have honored police officers using this digital NFT technology.
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As part of the ceremony, the families of the deceased officers were also honored.