Honor Garden Dedication

The Arvada Police Department held a dedication for their new Honor Garden on May 28th, 2026. Arvada Police Chief Ed Brady shared his comments during the dedication about how the officers were heroes, because of how they lived everyday with the courage and compassion and integrity with the commitment to serve others before themselves. They loved their families and loved what it meant to be a police officer and make a difference in the community, which they did. The Honor Garden is located on the east side of Memorial Park behind the Arvada City Hall and the memorial offers hope, solace, healing and comfort and serves as a tribute and dedication to the four Arvada Police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty:

Dillon Vakoff (2022) served with the 96th Bomb Squadron for six years before joining the Arvada Police Department in 2019.

Gordon Beesley 2021) and served 19 years with the department as a motorcycle officer, patrol, bike patrol, and school resource officer.

Walter Michael Northey (1979) and served with the department for 18 months and previously served with the Baltimore City Police Department in Maryland.

Robert Beghtol (1961) served for the department for 2 1/2 years.

The four officers total over the department’s 121-year history. During the ceremony two B-52 from the 96th Bomb Squadron, based at the Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier Parish, Louisiana flew over in honor of Officer Dillon Vakoff and the other officers.