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Students Create Hand Prints To Remember Sacrifice During Police Memorial Week

DENVER (CBS4)- A kindergarten student at Dora Moore School has a family member who is honored on Denver Police Department's Fallen Officer Memorial. Arion Sandoval is only 5 years old, but already understands the sacrifice his uncle made. Now, his classmates do too.

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"Uncle Ronnie went to heaven when he was 32," said Arion, "I'm wearing his badge. It says 96-39."

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Denver Police Officer Ron DeHerrera was killed in the line of duty in 1997. It was his second day on the job.

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Arion wanted to gift Denver Police something for Police Memorial Week. His mother, Christine Sandoval, suggested Arion and his classmates create something together.

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"DPD is always doing so much for fallen officers' families. I feel like this is an opportunity we can do something for them," said Christine.

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Each person in the kindergarten class dipped a hand in blue paint, then pressed it on a piece of paper. Christine linked the blue hand prints together to form a line.

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"We are going to create the thin blue line that represents the line we have between the police and the public. We're going to do 32 hand prints, each representing a year of his life," said Christine, "It's something that means a lot to our family. It lets Arion know who his uncle was."

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Christine hopes the project will start a positive relationship between students and law enforcement.

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"It makes me feel like he's still a part of our lives and he means so much to us. I couldn't ask for anything more," said Christine.

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Next week the students will deliver the gift to Denver Police District One, where DeHerrera used to work.

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