Kansas Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

Advisory Committee Meeting
March 14, 2003, 10:00 a.m.
Location: Kansas Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas

Present at the March 14, 2003 meeting were committee members: Chairman Bill Miskell, Department of Corrections; Vice-Chairman Captain Ken Gorman, Fraternal Order of Police; Chuck Sexson, KBI; Kenneth Roy, Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police; Sergeant J. L. Riedel, Kansas State Troopers’ Association; and Matt Veatch, Kansas Historical Society.

Approval of Minutes
Mr. Veatch distributed minutes of the February 4, 2003 meeting. Capt. Gorman moved approval of the minutes as submitted, Mr. Roy seconded, and the motion carried.

Treasurers Report
Mr. Veatch distributed the treasurer’s report. Mr. Roy moved approval of the report as submitted, Mr. Sexson seconded, and the motion was approved.

2003 Memorial Ceremony preparations

Potential Additions to the Memorial
Committee members provided status reports on research being conducted on potential additions to the memorial.

Vernon E. Ogden – Officer Ogden was approved for addition to the memorial at the February 4, 2003 meeting. Mr. Sexson reported that he is following up on the circumstances of death with the Wichita Police Department. Mr. Veatch indicated that he had been unable to find newspaper evidence about the incident. Mr. Sexson also reported that Ogden's middle initial was "E" rather than "G".

Guy Brittain - Sheriff Harrington has not completed her research. She has been in contact with descendents.

Jesse Dennis – Mr. Sexson reported that he had talked to the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office and the Nemaha County Clerk. Nemaha County officials had no records relating to the incident. They indicated that a 1970 fire had destroyed many of the historical records. Mr. Sexson observed that there was still a question of whether Dennis had been deputized and asked for more time to do research.

William Cody – Sheriff Harrington is still doing research.

Charlie E. Galloway – Director Pavey is doing research. Review of the evidence indicated that Galloway, who died of blood poisoning after cutting his foot during non-police related flood control work, did not meet the criteria for inclusion. Mr. Roy moved that Galloway be removed from the list of potential additions to the memorial, Sergeant Riedel seconded, and the motion carried.

Frank Hill – The committee approved Hill’s addition to the memorial at the February 4, 2003 meeting. Mr. Veatch reported that he had found newspapers articles describing the circumstances of death.

Frank J. Hunt – Sheriff Harrington is still performing research.

Joe Lundy – Mr. Sexson reported that he had talked to a historian, Mr. Turk, about U.S. Marshal Lundy’s death. Mr. Turk indicated that Lundy was a U.S. Marshal assigned to Kansas but that he was killed in Indian Territory (Oklahoma) while chasing horse thieves. Mr. Sexson speculated that Lundy, therefore, probably was not eligible for the Kansas memorial. The group discussed whether officers killed outside of Kansas were eligible for the Kansas memorial. The criteria for inclusion are not definitive on this point but the group seemed to feel that Lundy should not be added to the Kansas memorial. Mr. Sexson will check to see if Marshal Lundy is on the Oklahoma memorial.

William Peterson – Mr. Veatch reported that his research on Peterson had turned up nothing related to the incident. Mr. Sexson stated that he had called the Wichita County Sheriffs Department and they had nothing on the incident. Mr. Sexson also contacted the Wichita Police Department but they also had no information. Mr. Sexson suspects that there is an error on the Officer Down Memorial Page, the original source for the lead on William Peterson. He will communicate with the ODMP and attempt to clear up the matter.

Robert Rau – Sergeant Riedel reported that Rau was on duty and died as a result of the accidental discharge of a gun while displaying the new firearm in his patrol car. Sergeant Riedel recommended that Rau not be added to the memorial. Capt. Gorman moved that Rau’s name be removed from the list of potential additions to the memorial, Sergeant Riedel seconded, and the motion was approved.

James Edward Roberts – Mr. Sexson reported that he had contacted the Morris County Sheriff's Office for more information. One of the deputies agreed to do research but was not able to turn up any more information than the committee already had in its possession. Mr. Sexson and Mr. Veatch observed that the newspaper accounts of the incident mentioned deputies being sworn and dispatched to guard bridges and roads around the area. Mr. Sexson moved that Roberts be added to the memorial, Captain Gorman seconded, and it carried.

George Shindle - Jason Moses is doing research.

George Stewart - Jason Moses and Steve Starr are doing research.

2003 Additions to the Memorial
Chairman Miskell reiterated that the five names will be added to the memorial in 2003:
Frank Blizard, Albert H. Erdman, Frank Hill, Vernon E. Ogden, and James Edward Roberts.

Mr. Sexson will draft a letter to the KSHS executive director for Director Welch's signature requesting that the five names be added to the memorial.

Invitations
Mr. Sexson will contact law enforcement agencies for the five officers being added and invite them to attend the ceremony and to contact any family members. Other invitations to the reception will be sent to the individuals who were invited last year.

Chairman Miskell reported that he had invited Governor Sebelius and Attorney General Kline and both have it on their calendars. Chairman Miskell also will invite the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House.

2004 ceremony date
Capt. Gorman suggested setting the date for the 2004 ceremony for May 7, 2004. Members agreed to set this as a tentative date pending the status of construction on the memorial site.

LEM Foundation web site
Sergeant Riedel reported that Keith Dreiling had made some changes to the Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation web site and was seeking feedback.

Restoration of the memorial
Mr. Sexson distributed an email from Barry Greis, Division of Facilities Management, regarding the status of restoring the memorial. The e-mail included an estimate from J.E. Dunn of $159,796 for restoring and expanding the memorial. Lardner Monuments was listed as the subcontractor for the actual memorial work. Mr. Sexson commented that this estimate gives the committee a fund raising target. He also observed that J.E. Dunn and Lardner might choose to make an in-kind donation to the memorial. Mr. Sexson reported that J.E. Dunn routinely performed stress tests on all stone used in their construction project to make sure that they are using the most durable stone possible. He voiced confidence that the committee would receive a durable memorial.

The meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m.

Next meeting: April 11, 2002, 10:00 a.m., Kansas Highway Patrol Training Academy, 2025 E. Iron Ave., Salina