OAKLAND — Before the 20th annual Oakland police memorial service Wednesday honoring the 52 officers killed in the line of duty, retired Chief of Police George T. Hart recalled the adage that people will never really die until they are forgotten, stressing how important it is that these men “always be remembered.”

The officers who lost their lives between 1867 and 2009 and whose names are etched into a wall at police headquarters were definitely remembered.

About 100 relatives and friends of the slain officers attended the emotional ceremony, along with another 200 city and county officials and current members of the department, from rookies to veterans with more than 20 years service.

Sgt. Barry Donelan, president of the Oakland Police Officers Association, who emceed the ceremony, assured the relatives “these fallen heroes will be remembered, not just today, but everyday.”

Chief of Police Sean Whent told the audience, “We are indebted to the brave men whose names are etched into this granite wall, and we honor the dedication, bravery, passion and commitment exemplified by how they lived their lives.” He called the officers “guardians in our community” and said “their legacy inspires us all to continue the work they started.”

“For the families of the fallen here today, I thank you for sharing your loved ones with us, in life and in death,” Whent said. “We recognize that you have lost more than should ever be asked of anyone. We are here for you now and we vow to always be here for you.”

Alameda County District Attorney Nancy E. O’Malley said there will always be memories of “our protectors,” the “fallen officers who stood tall and proud in uniform serving the Oakland community.”

She told the families “our hearts go out for your loss” which “will always be shared by us.”

As is the custom, the name of each officer killed was read aloud before a white rose in their honor was pinned to a floral arrangement shaped like a badge by a police officer or relative. This year, for the first time, three former chiefs, including Hart, who led the department for almost 20 years before retiring in 1993, Richard Word and Howard Jordan, read the names as some in the audience sobbed openly while others wiped away tears.

After the ceremony, Peggy McKee, of Antioch, whose great uncle, Officer Elmer E. Norgren, was killed in January 1943, said even though he died before she was born, coming to the memorial was important to her family.

“It’s touching each time,” she said. “I cried today. He was one of our family stars. I’m grieving for my family. It’s hard but I do it for the Norgrens.”