Monday in Palm Springs spent preparing for memorial service

The city of Palm Springs spent Monday preparing for the memorial in honor of its two fallen heroes, Officers Gil Vega and Lesley Zerebny.

From local business owners to city planners, many residents had some sort of preparation to do. For example, a floral shop downtown said it ordered thousands of dollars in extra inventory.

“We ordered probably, wholesale-wise, probably $3,000 more,” said Gregory Goodman, owner of My Little Flower Shop.

Goodman had orders from all around the state and sold out of the extra inventory.

City officials said local hotels had given away rooms to law enforcement officers coming to the area for the ceremony.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank hoteliers and restaurants for opening their doors and offering meals and hotel rooms,” Mayor Robert Moon told told KESQ News Channel 3’s and CBS Local 2’s Katie Widner when they sat down Monday afternoon.

Moon said the city was planning for a massive crowd.

“It’s going to be quite a logistical effort,” Moon said. “The entire convention center. The main room has been open and there’s 10,000 chairs in the main room itself.”

Outside the Palm Springs Convention Center, streets were marked, preparing to be closed for Tuesday’s processional route, and large-screen TVs had been erected outside for overflow crowds.

“We’re expecting perhaps up to 15-thousand people tomorrow,” Moon said “But there are overflow spaces and there will be spaces outside, and there will be large screens and spaces out side for people who cannot get in.”

Security was also being ramped up.

“Security for the event is extremely tight. Extremely tight, and there are numerous resources will be here from multiple agencies assisting us with that,” said the public information officer for the Palm Springs Police Department, Sgt. William Hutchinson.

Both California Gov. Jerry Brown and Sate Attorney General Kamala Harris are expected to attend.

The ceremony is promised to be both touching and intimate, despite the large crowd and being open to the public. Both PSPD Chief Bryan Reyes and Mayor Moon will speak before members of the Zerebny and Vega families.

Hutchinson said multiple law enforcement agencies had stepped in to assist the PSPD for an entire 24-hours so that all officers could attend the services. He added the memorial will follow a strict time schedule.

Anyone interested in attending is urged to arrive early. Doors will open at 9 a.m. and the ceremony will begin at 11 a.m.