Kansas Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
Advisory Committee Meeting
February 4, 2003, 10:00 a.m.
Location: Kansas Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas
Present at the February 4, 2003 meeting were committee members: Chairman
Bill Miskell, Department of Corrections; Vice-Chairman Captain Ken Gorman,
Fraternal Order of Police; Chuck Sexson, KBI; Colonel Don Brownlee,
Kansas Highway Patrol; Director Ed Pavey, KLETC; Kenneth Roy, Kansas
Association of Chiefs of Police; Sheriff Janet Harrington, Kansas Sheriffs’
Association; J. L. Riedel, Kansas State Troopers’ Association;
Steve Starr, Attorney General’s Office; and Matt Veatch, Kansas Historical Society.
Also in attendance were Marilyn Goodheart, President, Kansas COPS;
Keith Dreiling, Kansas State Troopers Association; Jason R. Moses, Logan
County Sheriff’s Office; and Allan J. Weber, Gove County Sheriff.
Introductions
Chairman Miskell asked attendees to introduce themselves.
Approval of Minutes of Meetings of December
13, 2002 and September 20, 2002
Chairman Miskell distributed minutes of the September 20, 2002 meeting
and Mr. Veatch distributed minutes of the December 13, 2002 meeting.
Chairman Miskell offered a correction to the date listed on December
13, 2002 meeting. Mr. Veatch will make the correction. Captain Gorman
moved approval of both sets of minutes. Mr. Sexson seconded the motion
and it carried unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report
Mr. Veatch distributed the treasurer’s report and pointed out
that $2050 in donations had been deposited in the Law Enforcement Memorial
account pending transfer to the Memorial Foundation. Chairman Miskell
distributed, for the committee’s review, a draft thank you letter
to be sent to contributors to the capital campaign. Mr. Starr moved
approval of the treasurer’s report as submitted, Col. Brownlee
seconded, and the motion was approved.
Meeting Schedule
Chairman Miskell reported that the capital campaign was about a month
behind schedule and asked members whether they felt the group needed
to meet in March to help get things back on track. He also observed
that Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation business and Law Enforcement
Memorial Advisory Committee business needed to be kept separate. Col.
Brownlee suggested planning a meeting for both groups in March. Members
agreed to the following meeting dates:
March 14, 2003, 10:00 a.m., Kansas Historical Society, Topeka
– An Advisory Committee meeting will be followed by a Memorial
Foundation meeting.
April 11, 2003, 10:00 a.m., Kansas Highway Patrol Training Facility,
Salina -- An Advisory Committee meeting will be followed by a Memorial
Foundation meeting.
May 9, 2003, 1:30 p.m., Kansas Highway Patrol Headquarters, Topeka -
An Advisory Committee meeting will be followed by a Memorial Foundation
meeting. The meeting will convene following the post-memorial ceremony
lunch.
2003 Memorial Ceremony Preparations
Date
Chairman Miskell reminded members that the 2003 memorial ceremony would
be held at noon on Friday, May 9, 2003.
Names submitted for consideration - discussion
Mr. Veatch and Mr. Sexson distributed a list of the eighteen potential
additions to the memorial. Mr. Sexson led a discussion of each of the
proposed additions.
Leonard Armes – Armes was killed during the Kansas territorial
period. Mr. Sexson brought up the issue of whether officers from the
territorial period were eligible for the memorial. Captain Gorman commented
that he believed the statute specifically prohibited this. The committee
agreed that the memorial should include only officers who lost their
lives in the line of duty in the state of Kansas on or after January
29, 1861.
Frank Blizard – Research completed and he should be considered
this year.
Guy Brittain – Needs more research. Died of a heart attack so
will need to find evidence that it related to “a specific stressful
response” to the incident. Sheriff Harrington agreed to contact
Barber County sheriff to see if he has additional information on the
death.
William Thomas Cody – Needs more research.
Jesse S. Dennis – Dennis was killed while part of posse but no
clear evidence has been discovered to indicate that he was deputized.
Mr. Sexson said he would contact Nemaha County in an effort to find
other evidence. Sheriff Harrington will look at web site and see if
other officers that died under similar circumstances (e.g. citizen serving
as part of a posse).
Otto Laduke Durkee – Needs more research.
Albert H. Erdman – Research completed and he should be considered
this year.
Charlie E. Galloway – Needs more research. Galloway is included
on the Wichita wall of honor. He died of blood poisoning after volunteering
to work flood control.
Frank Hill – Needs some additional research but Mr. Sexson felt
the committee should consider him this year.
Frank J. Hunt – Needs more research.
Joe Lundy – Needs more research.
Vernon G. Ogden – Needs some additional research but Mr. Sexson
felt the committee should consider him this year.
William Peterson – Needs more research.
Abel Polley – Mr. Sexson indicated that there was no evidence
to indicate that Mr. Polley was deputized at the time of his death.
Mr. Sexson suggested that for this reason Mr. Polley not be included
on the memorial. No committee members objected.
Robert Wesley Rau – Needs more research.
James Edward Roberts – Roberts was killed as a member of a posse
but there was some evidence in the newspaper account that he was deputized.
Sheriff Harrington commented that Morris County might have some additional
records. Mr. Sexson will contact Morris County and see what he can find.
George Shindle – Needs more research.
George R. Stewart – Needs more research.
Names submitted for consideration –
Voting and research assignments
At Sheriff Harrington’s suggestion the committee reviewed each
of the eighteen potential additions and either voted to approve or disapprove
the submission or to assign a committee member responsibility for conducting
additional research.
Leonard Armes – The committee agreed to remove Leonard Armes’
name from consideration for inclusion on the memorial.
Frank Blizard – Sheriff Harrington moved that Sheriff Frank Blizard’s
be added to the memorial. Col. Brownlee seconded the motion and it carried
unanimously.
Guy Brittain – Sheriff Harrington agreed to perform additional
research.
William Thomas Cody – Sheriff Harrington agreed to perform additional
research.
Jesse S. Dennis – Mr. Sexson agreed to perform additional research.
He will contact Nemaha County.
Otto Laduke Durkee – Sheriff Harrington and Ms. Goodheart agreed
to perform additional research.
Albert H. Erdman – Sheriff Harrington moved that City Marshal
Albert H. Erdman’s name be added to the memorial. Mr. Roy seconded
and the motion carried.
Charlie E. Galloway – Director Pavey agreed to perform additional
research.
Frank Hill -- Mr. Sexson moved that Frank Hill’s name be added
to the memorial. Mr. Roy seconded the motion and it passed unanimously.
Frank J. Hunt – Sheriff Harrington agreed to perform additional
research.
Joe Lundy – Mr. Sexson agreed to perform additional research.
Vernon G. Ogden – Mr. Sexson moved that Vernon G. Ogden’s
name be added to the memorial. Col. Brownlee seconded the motion and
it carried.
William Peterson – Mr. Sexson and Mr. Veatch agreed to perform
additional research. Jason Moses agreed to assist with the research
if needed.
Abel Polley – The committee agreed to remove Abel Polley’s
name from consideration for inclusion on the memorial.
Robert Wesley Rau – Sergeant Riedel agreed to perform additional
research.
James Edward Roberts – Mr. Sexson agreed to perform additional
research. He will check with Morris County.
George Shindle – Jason Moses agreed to perform additional research.
George R. Stewart – Jason Moses and Steve Starr agreed to perform
additional research.
Web site
Mr. Veatch demonstrated the revised Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial
web site that is hosted by the Kansas Historical Society. Keith
Dreiling demonstrated a web site that he developed that could be used
for the Advisory Committee or the Memorial Foundation or both. After
some discussion, the committee agreed that the KSHS should maintain
the official Advisory
Committee web site and Keith Dreiling, representing the Kansas State
Troopers’ Association, will maintain the web site for the Kansas
Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation.
Family reception prior to ceremony
Ms. Goodheart and Mr. Sexson will coordinate the reception. It will
be held on the second floor of the capital in the rotunda. The reception
will start at 11:00 and end at 11:30. The committee agreed that reception
attendees would be directed to the first floor of capital and then outside
to attend the ceremony; dignitaries will exit outside from the second
floor of the capital to the south steps.
Ceremony arrangements
Mr. Sexson and Mr. Gorman observed that it was important to ensure that
family members get seated in the appropriate location. Sheriff Harrington
suggested assigning a committee member to a specific family. Mr. Sexson
agreed and said he would arrange for a committee member liaison for
each family. Mr. Sexson commented that for historical names, families
would be requested to select one family representative to sit on the
steps. Director Pavey suggested that Mr. Sexson be designated the ceremony
seating coordinator. Capt. Gorman will remain as coordinator of the
ceremony activities. Chairman Miskell stated that he would write letters
of invitation to Governor Sebelius and Attorney General Kline. Mr. Sexson
asked Chairman to also send an invitation to the Speaker of the House
and the President of the Senate.
Press releases
Chairman will put out a news release two weeks prior to the ceremony.
There being no further business, Capt. Gorman moved that the meeting
be adjourned. Mr. Brownlee seconded the motion and it carried.
Next meeting: March 14, 2003, 10:00
a.m., Kansas Historical Society, Topeka
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