HomeMy WebLinkAbout3.A. National Police Week15-Al' ROSEMOUNT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CITY COUNCIL
City Council Work Session: May 15, 2013
BACKGROUND
To recognize National Police Week 2013 and the Annual LEMA Law Enforcement Memorial Event
on May 14th and 15th at the Minnesota Peace Officer Memorial Chief Eric Werner provides an update
to the City Council to honor the service and sacrifice of those law enforcement officers killed in the
line of duty while protecting our communities and safeguarding our democracy.
There are approximately 900,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United
States, including the 22 dedicated members of the Rosemount Police Department. Nearly 60,000
assaults against law enforcement officers are reported each year, resulting in approximately 16,000
injuries. Since the first recorded death in 1791, almost 20,000 law enforcement officers in the United
States have made the ultimate sacrifice and been killed in the line of duty, including Officer John E.
McDermott of the Rosemount Police Department. Officer McDermott's name, along with the names
of these dedicated public servants, is engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial in Washington, D.C. Officer McDermott's final End of Watch was May 22, 1923.
In Washington D.C. the service and sacrifice of all officers killed in the line of duty will be honored
during the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's 25th Annual Candlelight Vigil, on the
evening of May 13, 2013, as part of National Police Week, which takes place this year on May 12 -18.
May 15 is designated as Peace Officers Memorial Day, in honor of all fallen officers and their families
and U.S. flags should be flown at half - staff.
In Minnesota the Annual LEMA Law Enforcement Memorial Events will be May 14th and 15th at the
Minnesota Peace Officers Memorial. Events include Wreath Laying Ceremony, Standing of the
Memorial Guard State Capitol Grounds and a Candlelight Vigil: Commencing at 7:30 pm on the State
Capitol Grounds.
AGENDA SECTION:
AGENDA ITEM: National Police Week
PREPARED BY: Eric T. Werner, Chief of Police �G'J `
AGENDA NO. 3 A,
ATTACHMENTS: Officer John Francis McDermott
APPROVED BY:
Memorial Information
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Update
BACKGROUND
To recognize National Police Week 2013 and the Annual LEMA Law Enforcement Memorial Event
on May 14th and 15th at the Minnesota Peace Officer Memorial Chief Eric Werner provides an update
to the City Council to honor the service and sacrifice of those law enforcement officers killed in the
line of duty while protecting our communities and safeguarding our democracy.
There are approximately 900,000 law enforcement officers serving in communities across the United
States, including the 22 dedicated members of the Rosemount Police Department. Nearly 60,000
assaults against law enforcement officers are reported each year, resulting in approximately 16,000
injuries. Since the first recorded death in 1791, almost 20,000 law enforcement officers in the United
States have made the ultimate sacrifice and been killed in the line of duty, including Officer John E.
McDermott of the Rosemount Police Department. Officer McDermott's name, along with the names
of these dedicated public servants, is engraved on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial in Washington, D.C. Officer McDermott's final End of Watch was May 22, 1923.
In Washington D.C. the service and sacrifice of all officers killed in the line of duty will be honored
during the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund's 25th Annual Candlelight Vigil, on the
evening of May 13, 2013, as part of National Police Week, which takes place this year on May 12 -18.
May 15 is designated as Peace Officers Memorial Day, in honor of all fallen officers and their families
and U.S. flags should be flown at half - staff.
In Minnesota the Annual LEMA Law Enforcement Memorial Events will be May 14th and 15th at the
Minnesota Peace Officers Memorial. Events include Wreath Laying Ceremony, Standing of the
Memorial Guard State Capitol Grounds and a Candlelight Vigil: Commencing at 7:30 pm on the State
Capitol Grounds.
Officer John Francis McDermott
Rosemount Police Department
Died - May 22, 1923
Please leave a memorial message by E -mail and I will then post the message on the memorial page.
If you should have more information on the Officer or have some pictures you would like on this web page send
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Officer
John
Francis
McDermott
End of Watch:
May 22, 1923
1p
ROSerrtOUrit Police
2MIrtmcritw
http:// www.nmlema.org /fallen_insert.php ?officer _ id =209 5/7/2013
me an E -mail.
On Monday night May 21 st, 1923 Officer McDermott was working as night watchman in Rosemount. He was
filling in a shift for his fellow Police Officer Joe Heinen. According to McDermott he observed two suspicious
men that stopped their car near the creamery and walked into town arousing his suspicion. Having previous
knowledge of three unknown men that had previously threatened to "get" the Rosemount "cop" from fellow
Police Officer Heinen who was the regular night watchman, McDermott called on three fellow Police Officer's
and concealed himself near Rosemounfs First National Bank.
Shortly afterwards a car drove up to the Hynes filling station. McDermott believed that the three suspects in the
vehicle were the same ones that had made the threats and started running across the street toward Garaghty's store
to investigate. One of his fellow Police Officer's that responded to the incident at that time and who remains
unknown observed McDermott and mistook him for one of the possible suspects. That Officer commanded
McDermott to stop. When McDermott did not respond to the verbal commands the Officer shot a warning shot
into the air. McDermott continued to ignore the Officer's commands at which time the Officer shot McDermott
several times with a shotgun, wounding him in his lungs and his head. Upon hearing the gun shots, the three
suspects got into their vehicle and fled the scene. Officer's discovered that the victim of the gun shot wounds was
their fellow Officer McDermott and transported him to Sanford Hospital in Farmington, MN where he had died
from his wounds on May 22, 1923. He was 27 years old and unmarried.
William F Wilson
Emil Engstrom
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http:// www.mnlema.org /fallen_insert.php ?officer _ id =209 5/7/2013