Retired and serving police officers, their families and city officials came together for a somber ceremony dedicated to remembering Alexandrias fallen beneath clear skies Monday afternoon.
    
The city has lost 17 officers in the line of duty, dating from the death of Constable Elijah Chenault in 1823 to Officer Andrew Chelchowski in 1993. After laying a wreath on a squat memorial tucked away in Waterfront Park, Police Chief Earl Cook cited the national rise in law enforcement casualties in the previous year and a half. 
    
To date, 69 officers have been killed in the line of duty in 2011, a 17 percent rise over 2010, according to preliminary statistics compiled by the nonprofit National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. Florida leads the nation in on-duty deaths with 10 officers killed thus far in 2011. By comparison, Virginia has seen two officers killed statewide. 
    
Its not a tragedy Alexandria has had to endure recently, Cook said, and not one the city wants to see ever again.