The Law and Order: SVU family is honoring one of their own.

Nearly one year after the death of Richard Belzer—who played Sgt.

John Munch for the first 15 seasons—his costars on the long-running

NBC procedural paid tribute to the late actor while celebrating SVU’s major milestone.

In fact, Mariska Hargitay believes that while Richard is no longer here physically, his spirit is still alive and well.

“Belzer’s so deeply embedded and enmeshed in my heart,” she told E! News in an exclusive interview at the Law & Order: SVU 25th Anniversary Celebration Red Carpet Jan. 16. “I think of him with such fondness. He has shored me up and I have so many memories of him. We talk about him all the time. It’s like he’s still here.”

Dann Florek—who played Captain Donald Cragen on Law & Order and the first 15 seasons of SVU—meanwhile, detailed the bond he and Richard developed after spending well over a decade on screen together.

“Number one, I love the Belz,” he began. “He was an irascible son-of-a-b. But a very, very talented man. And that has not escaped me down this line.”

“I always thought he was Dracula,” the L.A. Law alum continued. “He was never going to die. So, bless you, Belz. He was a part of so many good things but such a big part of SVU. I love that dude.”