POCATELLO — Hundreds of people gathered in front of the Bannock County Courthouse on Thursday to pay tribute to the deadly events that rocked the nation on Sept. 11, 2001.

    Chubbuck Mayor Kevin England provided the welcome and a review of the events in New York City, Arlington, Va., and Pennsylvania that fateful day 13 years ago.

    “Besides prayers, the most important thing we can do is to live with the principles of liberty and freedom,” England told the crowd.

    The Bannock County Combined Law Enforcement Honor Guard raised the American flag to half-mast, and once the flag was raised, Clarissa Smedley sang the national anthem.

    Pocatello police officer Jordan Johnson, an Iraq war veteran, was the keynote speaker.

    Johnson joined the Army National Guard while he was a senior at Highland High School, and after serving a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served with the 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team in Iraq. He joined the Pocatello Police Department in 2006.

    Johnson told the crowd that firefighters and police officers were the first responders when the attacks of 9/11 unfolded.

    “I do look back on that day differently,” Johnson said about his role as a policeman.

    Johnson talked about the use of the term “shield” when discussing police badges and he shared that shields were an important part of a soldier’s arsenal in Sparta. He said Spartans  were taught how to hold their shields to their left sides.

    “The protection it gave was more for the person standing next to you,” Johnson said.

    The Pocatello officer gave special tribute to Port Authority Police officer Christopher Amoroso who died saving people from the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

    Johnson also commemorated all the men and women in the U.S. military who served in the fight against terrorism.

    “We learned a lot as a country about unity,” Johnson said. “If we stand together we can defeat these threats.”

    Mayor England said everyone should remember the surge of patriotism that swept across America in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

    “To watch that wane over the years has been disappointing,” England said. “But the power of freedom burns bright here today.”

    A bell ceremony paying tribute to the Twin Towers, Pentagon, Pennsylvania plane passengers and crew, first responders and members of the U.S. military who served in Iraq and Afghanistan was followed by the playing of “Taps” by Don Stoddard.

    Before “Taps” was played, the crowd was perfectly silent as each bell ring faded slowly in the bright morning sunlight of the courthouse.

    Following the notes of “Taps” Mayor England led the crowd in a long moment of silence.

    England then thanked everyone who attended the event and said, “The most important thing we can do besides prayers is to live with the principles of liberty and freedom.”