Groundbreaking held for OSP Fallen Trooper Memorial
Flag Day, June 14 , was celebrated with the groundbreaking for the long-awaited Oregon State Police Fallen Trooper Memorial, to be built in front of the Public Service Building on the Capitol Mall.
The groundbreaking was organized by White Oak Construction, the company chosen to construct the memorial.
OSP Lt. Cari Boyd, leads the organization, which has raised over $235,000 for the project. The memorial will recognize 33 troopers who have made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting the citizens of Oregon.
“This is the most in-the-line-of-duty deaths of any law enforcement agency in the state of Oregon,” Boyd said. She was pleased that millions of people will be able to honor these troopers at the memorial when they visit the State Capitol.
City Councilor Brad Nanke represented the City of Salem at the event. “I am proud to have this memorial in Salem,” he said.
Dan Wellert, project manager at White Oak Construction, said his company is fully committed to the project. He added, “From the citizen’s perspective, it is so important to acknowledge what our police officers do for us and to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.”
Gene Bolante, lead architect at Studio 3 Architecture, shared artist renderings of the project.
The memorial will feature a black basalt wall with the names of fallen troopers. In the center will be a map of Oregon with stars showing where each death occurred. An unfinished column will be placed in the middle to symbolize troopers who will never be able to finish their job.
“We are so proud to be a part of this,” he added.
The OSP Fallen Trooper Memorial is scheduled to be completed in October. They continue to accept donations for the project at http://www.ospmemorial.org/.
A Fallen Trooper Memorial Run will be held July 9 , 2016, at Champoeg State Park. Sign up at https://runsignup.com/race/or/stpaul/ospfallentrooperrun.
A groundbreaking video can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4YyD8z5z5w&feature=youtu.be
