In an informal gathering at the White Center Field house at Steve Cox Park, the namesake of the park Steve Cox was remembered by more than 60 members of law enforcement and fire departments from King County, Burien, SeaTac and elsewhere. His mother, brother, wife Maria and son Bronson were present today.

Cox was killed in White Center in the line of duty in 2006. The park was subsequently named in his honor.

Major Graddon said that the impact Cox had on the community was due to the way he did his job, often going well beyond the call of duty.

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Cox left his job as a deputy prosecutor to work as the store front deputy in White Center, near where he grew up. He would often help those he arrested later find work or a place to live or some means of "fixing what was broken in their lives," Graddon said. Graddon said that Steve Cox's example as an officer has meant a lot to the department and that they in turn are involved in building an, "assisted diversion program in Skyway and it's in operation in Belltown in Seattle right now. You break the low level drug sales cycle of that because we know that just throwing those people in jail does not work. It's done nothing by clog systems for us. You have to figure out what's fundamentally going on," with regard to jobs, and living circumstances. "You start breaking the need for the circumstances that got them into drug abuse and drug sales. It's as proactive as anything we do."

His brother Ron said that every April, 29, Steve's birthday he gathers with his parents and a group of close friends to remember Steve with a dinner at Ye Olde Spaghetti Factory, Steve's favorite restaurant. Regarding the turnout for the event Ron said, "This certainly demonstrates that he must have had some impact on the people he worked with. Our family is obviously honored that they do this."

His mother said, "He was full of character, very goal oriented and whatever he did he gave it 110%." She last saw him on Thanksgiving of 2006. "The family had gathered for dinner at my home and he had just adopted Bronson (his son). After dinner my other grandchildren were playing and Bronson joined them and was very excited. I happened to look over at Steve and Maria at the table and it was like a Norman Rockwell painting. Big grins across their face and their eyes full of tears. I think about that. He waited a long time to be a father and loved it."

New White Center storefront Deputy B.J. Myers said he's heard many positive stories about Cox since taking on the job in October. "They are such rich accounts of how he grew up out here and everyone knows his history and I feel like I've really gotten to know who he was and know about his family. It's really wonderful."

Tom and Joe Salle of the now closed Bernie and Boys market were honored at the event with certificates from the Sheriff's office for their support.

Maria Cox said of his fellow officers, "From that ugly day they told me they would never forget and it's true. Every year we get together and we remember Steve, and the stories, they have no end because they are real. When somebody is so good to the community you cannot stop talking. I'm very honored that people remember Steve. It means a lot for us. It means a lot for my boy. It means a lot for the community. Here as a family we are not the losers, the community lost a lot in Steve."