Police remember 9/11 with plaque

Adam Vaughn, Steve Wilkerson, Wayne Kamus, an NYPD sergeant, Jim Cooke, Clayton Jordan , Jason Fox and Trey Street work the Empire State Building detail shortly after 9/11.

 BY LORETTA GILLESPIE / FOR THE RECORD

Many people collect pictures and mementoes. Some are funny, some celebrate lifetime milestones, and others are sentimental, like the plaque hanging in Detective Cpl. Marcus Adams’ office.

Adams assembled the plaque this year as a tribute to the fallen officers of 9/11.

Adams was one of eight Madison police officers who traveled to New York City a few weeks after the attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Center.

“I was affected by the experience, both then, and every year since,” said Adams. “Today is no different.”

He has personal photos, pins, patches and commemorative coins on the plaque. “I decided to make a memorial to the ones who were lost that day — the heroes — fire fighters and police officers,” he explained.

Detective Cpl. Marcus Adams holds the plaque he created as a tribute to the fallen officers of 9/11.

The top patch is from the 10th anniversary of 9/11, and on each side of it is a commemorative 9/11 coin.

A 9/11 pin below the anniversary patch was given to Adams by a New York City police officer. He wore it on his jacket lapel for years as a reminder.

There are also photos from ground zero and coins honoring first responders on the plaque.

Near the bottom of the plaque are department patches from the New York City police and fire departments and the Port Authority Police Department.

“I had the background of the plaque done in black suede as a memoriam of those who died that day,” Adams said. “Each patch represents the different departments — blue suede for police, and red suede for fire fighters,” said Adams.

Below the insignias Adams mounted coins that show a quote from former President George W. Bush in 2001, and a quote from President Barack Obama after Osama Bin Laden was killed in 2011.

“Those are to show some sense of closure, for America and the families of those that died, soldiers included,” Adams said.

The plaque serves as a daily reminder to Adams of the sacrifices made by so many on 9/11 and every day since.