SAN ANTONIO – Inside David Putnam’s store, machines are buzzing and jewelry is being polished and perfected.
But his team’s work honoring fallen officers is perhaps their finest.
Putnam retired from SAPD in 1990 after 21 years on the force, and he now owns Alamo City Gold and Silver. His shop makes commemorative badges to send to the loved ones of fallen officer’s around the country.
"It grows every year,” he said. “We average about 150 officers a year that die in the line of duty.”
Putnam finds the names of the officers killed online at the Officer Down Memorial Page
But Marconi's death was different, he learned about it through a phone call.
Putnam and his team were hard at work Wednesday making two badges to present to Marconi’s children.
“Normally when you die in the line of duty, they'll give you the flag from the casket or they'll give you the picture and a plaque that you put on a wall,” Putnam said. “But nothing that’s personal that can be worn by the officer's family.”
Putnam has a filing cabinet drawer full of information on the more than 2,000 officers killed in the line of duty whose families he has made badges for since 1984.
His business covers the cost of the badges or customers or the community offer to sponsor a badge.
Putnam ships them to the sheriff or police chief of the fallen officer.
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He doesn't know which loved one might receive the badge until he gets a letter of thanks. He has binders of them mailed from around the country.
"’My daughters and son kiss the badge goodnight to say goodnight to their dad,’” Putnam reads from one letter written to him by a badge recipient.
“I cry,” he said, fighting back tears. “It's bad.”
Putnam will hand deliver the badges to Marconi's children.
He didn't know him personally, “but still its a brother,” said Putnam. “Its something 20 years from now they can be proud to say, 'This was my dad.’”