DeKalb officer’s name added to moving memorial wall

 

The late DeKalb Police Officer Ivorie Klusmann became the 678th name added to the Georgia Law Enforcement Moving Memorial Wall.

The memorial wall, which was created by the Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club of Georgia, traveled to the DeKalb County Police headquarters April 23 to honor Klusmann and reveal his name on the wall. Klusmann’s mother, Dianne Blue, who removed the tape to reveal his name, said the ceremony was beautiful.

“Knowing that my son’s name is on a wall is an honor in itself,” Blue said. “He will be missed. We can’t bring him back but he will be missed.”

Klusmann died Aug. 10, 2013, in a single car accident while responding to a call. The 31-year-old, who was assigned to the uniform division at the department’s east precinct, was with the police department for 10 months at the time of his death.

According to police, Klusmann pulled over Gregory Lee Harvey, 27, at approximately 2 a.m. for a routine traffic stop near Snapfinger Woods Drive. Klusmann took down Harvey’s information and returned to his patrol car, Harvey then fled the scene.

After a short pursuit was called off, another officer spotted the suspect’s vehicle. While Klusmann was responding to the call, his vehicle ran off the roadway and struck a tree and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Later that day, police arrested Harvey at his home in Stone Mountain after he turned himself in to investigators. Harvey was charged with felony murder, reckless driving and theft by receiving a stolen vehicle.

Although he was with the department for a short time, interim Police Chief James Conroy said Klusmann’s legacy will “live on as a hero who gave his life while serving the citizens of DeKalb County.”

“Each of us owes a great debt to Officer Klusmann and the other 677 names who are here on this memorial all,” Conroy said during the ceremony. “Our repayment of that debt is to honor their memory by serving each day with a commitment, honor, courage and integrity that they deserve.”

The memorial wall has traveled thousands of miles throughout Georgia and the country for people to honor and remember the lives of the officers that were lost.

“I wish we can have a year in the state of Georgia and in our nation that we didn’t add another name, but we thought we need to honor the [officers],” said Blue Knights president Ed Christian.

On April 26, the Blue Knights hosted its 23rd annual Ride for Fallen Officers in Georgia. Motorcyclists traveled from Turner Field to the Atlanta Expo Center on Jonesboro Road in Atlanta in honor of fallen officers.

“It’s about remembrance,” Christian said. “We want all of us to remember.”