Today is the 20th anniversary of the death of Onondaga County Sheriff’s Deputy Glenn Searles in the line of duty. Upon his death, law enforcement across the state united to make changes to keep first responders safe.

New York’s Move Over Law went into effect in January 2011, following years of work.

On Nov. 29, 2003, Searles was aiding a disabled motorist when he was hit and killed by a passing vehicle.

“Got a call. I was here,” said former Onondaga County Undersheriff Warren Darby. “It was in the evening. It was one of those windy, very-white-out blowing storms.”

Searles’ mother, Geri Garnet Unrue, now lives in Apopka, Fla., and is a part of a civilian police academy.

“On his end of watch, November 29, I have always done a ride-along,” she said. “The Apopka police chief told me ‘we would rather have you with Glenn’s brothers and sisters in blue than sitting home crying.’ ”

The sheriff’s department added more yellow lights on the backs of its cars and in their trunks. They worked with the New York State Police for years to make the Move Over Law a reality. Now, drivers must slow down and move over when they see emergency lights.

“It was forever. Going back and forth to meetings and going to Albany and saying ‘come on, guys,’ ” Darby said. “Twenty-six states at that time had move over laws at that time and New York didn’t. Now there are only two states that don’t have move over laws.”

In addition to the law, I-481 in Dewitt between exits 5 and 6 are named after Searles, and a K-9 named in his honor joined the sheriff’s department in 2017.

“He was a sweet guy, and now that it has been 20 years and he’d be 50 years old … and I talk this over with other moms and I wonder, what if?” Unrue said.

The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department says there will be a mass to honor Searles at noon at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in downtown Syracuse.