Editor's note: This article was originally published on Nov. 2, 2017.

The blue tape, blue ribbons and yard signs that were set up nearly one year ago can seem inadequate to counter the horror of what they symbolize: the deaths of a Des Moines police sergeant and an Urbandale officer ambushed and gunned down in their patrol cars, and the public solidarity that followed.

But the officers' families agreed that the support and kindness they've received has real value.

"It can pick you up from a low mood to a good mood by seeing that from the public," said Frank Beminio, father of Sgt. Anthony "Tony" Beminio.

As Beminio and Officer Justin Martin are remembered this week, their legacy includes strong community support, along with unwavering local police work.

"Anytime you deal with a tragedy of this magnitude, you're forced to come together and persevere," said Sgt. Chad Underwood, Urbandale police spokesman. "There's a lot bringing us together to heal. Our community has been so supportive of us throughout this last year, and it hasn't stopped."

A lone gunman killed Martin and Beminio in the early morning hours of Nov. 2, 2016. They were attacked in different locations about 20 minutes apart.

The shooter was arrested in Dallas County hours later. Scott Michael Greene, 46, of Urbandale pleaded guilty in May to the murders.

'We're still remembering'

For the Des Moines Police Department, Tony Beminio's death came as officers were still recovering from the deaths of officers Carlos Puente-Morales, 34, and Susan Farrell, 30, who were killed in a fiery car crash while on duty March 26, 2016.

A drunk man drove the wrong way down Interstate Highway 80 in Waukee and struck the officers' car. That driver and a passenger in the officers' car also died.

For many Des Moines officers, the one-year mark of Beminio's death inevitably stirs memories of losing Puente-Morales and Farrell as well.

"We're still remembering. It's going to be a heavy load to carry for a long time," said Sgt. Paul Parizek, Des Moines police spokesman.

Shortly after Beminio was killed, a memorial featuring photos of all three fallen officers was placed in a display case in the lobby of the Des Moines police station. There are other tributes throughout the station, including a display on the third floor that shows photos of all Des Moines officers killed in the line of duty.

"You lost family members. Somebody who you were close to. Somebody who you loved dearly," Parizek said.

'Tony really did love people'

Beminio worked for Des Moines police for 11 years. In that time, he served in the department's traffic unit, as a detective, and as a school resource officer at Roosevelt and East high schools. He switched to uniformed patrol when he was promoted to sergeant in 2015.

When Roosevelt and East squared off in football last month, seven Des Moines police officers had their names read as students and school employees praised the contribution of Beminio and his colleagues.

“It brings up a lot of emotions from the last year,” Des Moines Police Sgt. Jeremy Sprague said at the football game. “It’s great to see the community showing their support for us.”

Beminio cared for people, Sprague said. The students and staff at the schools liked him, and he would reach out to help newer officers, even if he didn't know them.

Des Moines Police Senior Officer Mike Moody, who said he took over Beminio's role at Roosevelt when the sergeant left in 2015, said everyone in the Des Moines Police Department aims to be as approachable and likable as Beminio was.

“Tony was absolutely the epitome of what a police officer was supposed to be,” Moody said. “He was a great guy. He was a funny guy. We all strive to be like Tony."

It’s difficult for Frank Beminio to describe what the past year has been like for him.

“If it hadn’t been him, it would have been someone else. It was just 'wrong place, wrong time,'” said Beminio, a retired Belmond police officer. “He was always a good kid.”

Beminio loved his three kids, Cameron, Haley and Maddox, who live in Belmond with their mother. Frank Beminio said his grandchildren have shown maturity in the last year after losing their father.

Beminio enjoyed going to Belmond to watch the kids play in sports, Frank Beminio said.

“The kids lost a lot,” he said. “It’s too bad what one man’s actions affected so many."

It helps Frank Beminio to see support from the community and the kindness they’ve shown — just like his son showed to people.

“Tony really did love people,” his father said. “Tony was the type that he would listen to you.”

Martins: 'We lean on God'

Randy and Jayne Martin's home in Rockwell City in northern Iowa is less than two miles from Rosehill Cemetery, where their son was laid to rest. The Martins said they find comfort in their faith that their son is in heaven.

“We lean on God. We lean on knowing where he is,” Jayne Martin said.

Justin Martin joined the Urbandale Police Department the year before he was killed, and he served on patrol.

Martin was the first Urbandale police officer to be killed in the line of duty.

The Martins want their son to be remembered for his kindness and his desire to help others, they said.

The past year hasn’t been easy for the couple. They lost their son and saw his killer plead guilty to the slaying.

But they also saw strangers, families and loved ones give them support.

Since Martin's death, the police department and the Urbandale community have dedicated several memorials to him, including Martin Field, a soccer field outside the police station, Justin Martin Drive, a road behind the police station, and the Justin Martin Community Room at the Urbandale Public Library.

"I don’t think we could ever repay what the communities have done for us,” Randy Martin said.

The hardest day this year was their son's birthday: July 14. The Martins expect that it will always be the most challenging day because it was a day that celebrated him.

After that comes Christmas, but having family around helps, they said.

As for Nov. 2, Randy Martin said he knows that day will be difficult. They will make the now-frequent drive to the Urbandale police station to pass by Justin Martin Drive and Martin Field, which was dedicated for Martin's love of hard work and fair play.

The Martins have stayed busy recently, but, “The anticipation of it, your thoughts go back,” Jayne Martin said. “I’m sure when things slow down for us, it will be hard.”

Just seeing the flags and blue ribbons helps, they said. Both in Rockwell City and Urbandale, people have given them support.

“The people of Urbandale have become our family, especially the people in the police department," Jayne Martin said.

'Justin's legacy helps you along'

Urbandale Officer Brady Farrington has grown particularly close to the Martin family.

Farrington is also from Rockwell City. He and Martin had known each other since they were 5 years old. They were in Boy Scouts together, their parents were friends, they both played trombone in the school band, and they played sports together.

The two attended police academy together, and they were hired at the Urbandale police department at the same time.

Farrington remembered Martin as a kind, friendly and polite person who worked hard but stayed humble.

As the anniversary of Martin's death approaches, Farrington said, like the Martins, he's also anxious. But he also finds comfort in support from his family, Martin's family and the community, he said.

"You never feel good about it. You just take it day by day," Farrington said.

It also helps to remember Martin, he said. "Justin's legacy of just being the human being that he was helps you along, too."

As a fellow officer, Martin's death caused Farrington to contemplate the potential dangers of police work. Before his friend was killed, he would see news stories about officers killed in the line of duty in other parts of the country, and "we would feel for them, but we'd never experienced it firsthand," he said.

Farrington knew when he became a police officer that he could get hurt on the job, but Martin's death "made it real," he said.

"It definitely brought that very close to home," he said.

'A calculated risk'

While the fatal shootings of Beminio and Martin may have caused officers to reflect on the inherent risk of danger in their jobs, neither the Des Moines nor Urbandale police departments changed patrol procedures in the past year.

Officials from both departments said there is no reasonable safety tactic that could have prevented the ambush attacks on Beminio and Martin.

"We can't drive around in armored cars and tanks and go and serve our community. We have to be accessible," said Underwood, the Urbandale police spokesman.

To some degree, police officers' efforts to be accessible and approachable can also make them vulnerable, Parizek said.

"The thing that makes it possible for people to walk up to us while we're sitting there, writing a report ... those are the same things that make us vulnerable to an attack," Parizek said. "And we take that risk every day because we are committed to the service. But it's a calculated risk."