Statue of Murdered Deputy Almost Complete

By: Bonney Bowman - Email

Updated: Wed 8:05 AM, Dec 12, 2012

It's been more than two decades since a Lancaster County Deputy was killed in the line of duty.

But it's only recently an effort has been made to honor his sacrifice.

Soon a statue of Deputy Craig Dodge will stand in the place he was shot.

It's thanks to Deputy Drew Bolzer, who serves the community of Hickman years after Dodge died there.

Bolzer says, "I knew the story about Craig's murder in 1987, responding to a call for service there, and I just felt Craig deserved a little bit more than a dilapidated building in his presence."

That building was the Schoolhouse Apartments, where Dodge as shot responding to a domestic disturbance.

It was torn down in 2005 and Bolzer started to work, acquiring the land and raising donations.

He says, "To see it in person and to know that it's finally coming to this point, it took my breath away. It's pretty amazing that somebody can do this with brick and make it as realistic as it is."

Sculptor Sten Eisentrager brought Dodge to life from plain bricks, working for more than two months.

Eisentrager says, "It was nice that they can dedicate a park to him for the valor he had that night to help a lady in distress so it's been an honor to work on the sculpture for the park."

The memorial park will feature the sculpture, a weeping willow tree, and a memorial wall.

The wall is empty now, but soon it will have plaques bearing the names of not just Deputy Dodge, but all the Lancaster County Deputies who have died in the line of duty.

The sculpture should be installed sometime in March of 2013.

The memorial was funded through donations by the Deputy Sheriffs Association, but they're about $15,000 short of their goal.

If you'd like to help, you can contact Deputy Bolzer at (402) 441-6500 or you can send cash donations to the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office Memorial Fund.

That address is 575 South 10th, Lincoln, NE.

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