It will now be the Officer Gary Frank Skerski Memorial Bridge
A bill authored by state Rep. Jason Dawkins, D-Phila., to rename a bridge after a Philadelphia police officer killed in the line of duty passed the House on Monday, Oct. 2.
The legislation (H.B. 1778) will designate the bridge on a portion of state Route 1005, also known as Castor Avenue, that goes over Frankford Creek, as the Officer Gary Frank Skerski Memorial Bridge.
The 16-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department was shot and killed in the line of duty on May 6, 2006, while responding to a reported armed robbery at a café near the intersection of Arrott and Adams avenues in the Frankford section of Philadelphia.
“Officer Skerski was the definition of a true hero and heroes deserve to be honored,” Dawkins said. “The bridge is a way to pay tribute and never forget the ultimate sacrifice he made to keep this city safe.”
Skerski was a member of the Fraternal Order of Police, the League of Sacred Heart of Jesus and a parishioner of St. Adalbert Roman Catholic Church in Port Richmond.
Reps. Angel Cruz, D-Phila., and John Taylor, R-Phila., are co-sponsors of the bill. The legislation now heads to the Senate.
