11 years later, Sgt. Greg Moore is still with us

Roses lay on the ground before the memorial boulder to honor Sgt. Greg Moore on Tuesday. Flowers were on a stand next it. Every few minutes, someone would pass by. Some stopped to read the words on the boulder at McEuen Park that stood before the waterfalls: "HONOR: Sgt. Greg Moore. Father. Husband. Friend. Brother. Protector. K27. Never forgotten."

Eleven years to the date Greg Moore was shot and killed while on patrol in Coeur d'Alene, his spirit lives on. Memories of this brave man remain. Stories of his actions are repeated. In Coeur d’Alene, the memory of Greg Moore remains sharp, present and personal. He has not and will not be forgotten. He was one of the good guys. One of the best. He was the kind of guy you wanted on your side. 

They say time has a way of softening and healing many things. Perhaps not. For some, Moore's death still hurts. It probably always will because of what he did, yes, but also because of who he was.

Moore was a 14‑year veteran of the Coeur d’Alene Police Department and 43 years old when he became the first Coeur d’Alene police officer killed in the line of duty.

That day marked what former Mayor Steve Widmyer later called “the most solemn day in the history of our city.” It was a moment that united residents not only in grief, but in reflection — about service, sacrifice and the fragile line that first responders walk every day.

That unity has not faded.

Last year, on the 10th anniversary of Moore’s death, Coeur d’Alene gathered to remember him. Police officers and Moore family members began the morning at Forest Cemetery, sharing stories quietly among themselves. A procession followed through downtown, where residents lined the sidewalks in silence. At McEuen Park’s K27 Forever Memorial, about 100 law enforcement officers, firefighters, city officials and dozens of residents stood together. Moore’s widow, Lindy, and their daughter, Gemma, sat in the front row.

This is a town that honors, trusts and supports its police force. That day, that message came through loud and clear.

Lee White, who was then police chief of Coeur d'Alene, said these words: “Our community is different. We understand that the police and community are in this together.”

White remembered Moore not just as an officer, but as a man — one of integrity, character, humor and a personality. He was, White noted, “damn good at finding criminals,” but he was just as good at looking out for people in quieter ways.

During Moore’s final graveyard shift, he drove through neighborhoods and woke homeowners to let them know their garage doors were open. He did not have to do that. He chose to. Moore later encountered a man doing exactly what he was trying to prevent and was killed.

For those who knew Moore, the loss remains close. Retired Sgt. Christie Wood, now a member of the Coeur d’Alene City Council, said the pain never truly goes away.

“It feels like yesterday."

True enough.

People like Greg Moore are easy to remember. But we can do more than remember. We can honor.