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ALTON - State Representative Dan Beiser and state Senator Bill Haine joined Officer Blake Snyder's family and the community Saturday morning at Lars Hoffman Park to honor the fallen hero with the renaming of Route 100 to the "Officer Blake Snyder Memorial Highway." 
Senator Haine said Officer Snyder discharged his duties with courage and honor, and the dedication represents his integrity and moral compass.
"In doing so we honor him. Especially his courage, his commitment to the law," Haine said. "We also honor all police officers. An attack on a police officer is in many ways an attack on the fabric of our society."
Beiser said that it was very fitting the resolution to dedicate the highway after Snyder was the very first resolution to be introduced this last session.
"I think that's very fitting to have number one put with Blake," Beiser said. "He will always be remembered and it's always a tribute to what he is. And that is a great person, a great father, a great son and a great husband. I will always be proud to see those signs when I go up and down the river."
Officer Snyder's family thanked everyone who came and said it was very fitting that dedication be held in a park along the River Road.
"Blake spent so much time in the parks," Blake's father Dick Snyder said. "He loved working with the parks department. Absolutely loved it, and he loved to ride the River Road. One day he came home and said I'm applying to the police academy. There was something different about him that day. He made a decision that was extremely important to him and we realized that as time went by that he had found his passion."
Dick Snyder said Blake's passion to serve the community was so central to his life.
Peggy Snyder, Blake's mother, took a moment to recognize all first responders for their commitment and service.
"From the bottom of my heart thank you for what you do," she said. "Thank you for the pledge that you've taken to serve others because even on a day like today it could have been a day that you could have spent with your family. You've given that time of yours up so that you're serving others and representing what your police family stands for. Blake's death changed our lives. I think it changed a lot of peoples lives. I think it gave us the opportunity to really realize what you all do as first responders, as police men every day. I do feel that through his loss God has opened our communities eyes."
