FOND DU LAC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Four Police officers from Fond du Lac who have died on the job over the years are being remembered through a new memorial garden in Fond du Lac.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday. The event itself also paid tribute to the four officers.
For State Trooper, Josh Helmer, the memorial garden reminded him of Trevor Casper’s ultimate sacrifice.
“Trevor’s story, obviously hits close to home for most of us wearing this uniform, being the youngest officer killed in the line of duty obviously.”
Casper was also a State Trooper in Fond du Lac. He was shot and killed by an armed robbery and murder suspect in March 2015.
“I look at that and hope I can measure up to that if it comes to that someday,” Helmer told FOX 11.
The memorial ceremony also paid tribute to William Prinslow. Prinslow was the first officer killed in the line of duty in Fond du Lac. Prinslow died on November 1898.
Nick Klaske was killed on October 1961, after pursuing a robbery suspect in Fond du Lac.
Also honored at the ceremony was Craig Burkholz. Burkhoz died while responding to assist the officer with shots fired on March 2011.
Matt Straveler helped plan and create the garden on Police Memorial Drive.
Straveler is part of the “Always Remembered” group of the Leadership Fond du Lac Class.
“We really wanted to honor the fallen and the individual that really work hard to protect us.”
Straveler says plants in the garden were hand selected based on special meaning, describing those who served and protect.
“So we put a lot of thought into it; it’s not just a memory garden with flowers, but there’s meaning behind it.”
“To pay tribute to these officers in such a way with this memorial garden, just really shows what our officers mean to our communities,” said Fond du Lac Assistant Police Chief, Steve Klein.
Klein tells FOX 11 over 100 officers in the country were killed in the line of duty over the last year.
“It’s definitely a calling, and our officers go out every day with the understanding that they might be putting themselves in danger.”
He says because of memorials like the garden, those officers can hopefully be honored and remembered.
