'Always in our thoughts'
Glenna McGill pauses before placing a rose at the base of the fountain during a rose-laying ceremony in the Linda Huff Memorial Plaza outside the ISP Region 1 headquarters on Friday.
Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Deputy Gabe Joling lays a rose down in honor of fallen Idaho State Police Trooper Linda Huff on Friday outside ISP's Region 1 headquarters on Friday.
Local law enforcement officers stand together during a memorial in honor of fallen Trooper Linda Huff on Friday outside Idaho State Police Region headquarters.
Larry McGill holds a rose during a memorial ceremony marking 25 years since the death of Idaho State Police Trooper Linda Huff.
Kootenai County Sheriff's Office Deputy Nate Davison approaches the fountain outside Idaho State Police Region 1 headquarters as he takes part in a memorial ceremony for Trooper Linda Huff, who was shot and killed on June 17, 1998.
Roses rest at the base of the foundation in the Linda Huff Memorial Plaza and law officers and others look on Friday.
COEUR d’ALENE — Before Glenna McGill set her rose down, she paused, closed her eyes and seemed to whisper, as if sending a message to Linda Huff.
In her heart, she was.
"No matter where we go, what we’re doing, something will jog a memory of Linda," McGill said. "She had a beautiful, warm smile. She approached everybody with an open heart. She could be tough when she needed to be — a great lady."
On Friday, a day before the 25th anniversary of Idaho State Police Trooper Linda Huff's death, about 25 law officers participated in a rose-laying ceremony in Huff's honor.
ISP troopers and staff, Coeur d'Alene Police Department and the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office gathered for the brief memorial outside ISP's Region 1 headquarters on Wilbur Avenue in the Linda Huff Memorial Plaza.
One by one, people placed roses at the memorial for Huff on a sunny afternoon.
Few words were spoken, but those that were came from the heart.
"Linda was full of smiles. She had a love for family and she loved the people she worked with," said ISP Master Cpl. Holly Branch, who worked briefly with Huff.
ISP Capt. John Kempf said Huff is "always in our thoughts and in our hearts."
Huff died early in Kempf's career.
"It serves as a reminder for all of us how dangerous this job can be," Kempf said.
"A day like today gives all of us that work in this profession an opportunity to pause and remember the friends that we’ve lost in this job in the line of duty," he said. "It is truly and honor to serve here in this building."
Despite being shot multiple times on June 17, 1998, late at night in the old ISP District 1 headquarters parking lot after returning from patrol, Huff returned fire, injuring the suspect. He was arrested and later found guilty of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Huff died at the scene.
At the time of her death, Huff had served with the ISP for 14 months. She was survived by her husband, Chad Huff, who was also a state trooper, and three children.
On May 13, 2005, Huff was posthumously awarded the first Idaho Law Enforcement and Firefighting Medal of Honor. The ISP District 1 office in Coeur d’Alene today bears her name.
Larry and Glenna McGill of Post Falls worked with Huff. Glenna McGill was a dispatcher while Larry McGill was a trooper.
"This was a sad, horrific thing that happened outside our back door in the old building," she said.
Glenna McGill said Huff was dedicated and strong — a female in a typically male department.
"She did her job extremely well and was liked by everybody," Glenna McGill said.
Huff, she said, was special.
"She’s always remembered in our hearts," Glenna McGill said. "Always."
