When searching last year for photos to incorporate into a new police memorial monument, officials settled on stoic shots of two members of the Lafayette Police Department's honor guard.
Little did they know at that time that one of the officers depicted in the memorial would die in the line of duty prior to the monument's unveiling.
"They're really beautiful pictures," said Sgt. Robin Green, spokesperson for the Police Department. "When you look at those pictures, you see the true meaning of what it is to be a member of the honor guard. That's their job in honor guard — to go to officers' funerals and help comfort the families as they lay their loved ones to rest."
The Camellia Boulevard monument, unveiled during a ceremony Tuesday morning, honors fallen officers. There's an image of Senior Cpl. Segus Jolivette on one side and Thomas Marceaux, commander of the Lafayette Police Honor Guard, on the other side.
"It captures you," Green said. "It's for all the officers across the world who leave with the intentions of coming home. It's for those who didn't make it home."
Jolivette, a 35-year-old hostage negotiator and honor guard member, was killed in the line of duty on July 25.
"The actual image and design and architecture were created a year ago," said interim Lafayette Police Chief Paul Trouard. "It was just a coincidence we lost him this year."
Former Police Chief Judith Estorge initiated the $33,000 memorial project. The monument, which was funded by the Police Department, was well underway before Jolivette died during a hostage situation in Jeanerette.
Jolivette's family attended Tuesday's unveiling, along with the family of Cpl. Michael Middlebrook, a Lafayette officer who was killed in October 2017 while responding to a convenience store shooting.
"It was emotional for everyone," Trouard said.
Camellia Boulevard was chosen for the monument since it was designated as the Police Memorial Roadway by the Lafayette City-Parish Council in 2012 under former Police Chief Jim Craft.
The monument has an even deeper meaning than originally intended.
"It was an honor for those two gentlemen to be featured because they were considered strong representatives of the honor guard," said Jamie Boudreaux, spokesperson for the Lafayette Consolidated Government. "Losing Segus, we've got one who is still on watch while the other is representative of those who we've lost."