Fallen Iowa peace officers honored

DES MOINES — Iowa honored its fallen law officers Friday and paid tribute to those serving to keep the peace.

Centerville native and world renowned operatic bass-baritone Simon Estes sang, bagpipers played and guns were fired in salute to state, county, city and federal law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty while serving in Iowa during the annual Iowa Peace Officer memorial ceremony held near the Capitol building.

During Friday's observance, four officers were honored who died while serving to protect and keep Iowa communities safe: Knoxville Officer Marion Albert 'Bert' Conrey, who died April 2, 1938; Cedar Falls Police Officer Everett Luke Dutcher, who died July 31, 1945; Pottawattamie County Sheriff's Special Deputy Claude B. Dail, who died Aug. 25, 1932; and Osceola Police Deputy Marshal Richard Lansing Eggleston, who died Nov. 22, 1917.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Safety, 177 peace officers in Iowa have been killed in the line of duty.

'Every loss of an officer is a loss to every one of us. Even when it is someone that we have never met, we feel the loss because we know the dangers that arise every day on the job,' said Iowa public safety commissioner Roxann Ryan.

'The annual recognition is one small but very important way for us to acknowledge the sacrifice that each officer has given, and to recognize their bravery and commitment when they have given their lives for the job and to salute the valor of those who are left behind to carry on the law enforcement mission,' she added.

Ryan called serving as a peace officer 'a stressful job with many rewards and far too little recognition.'

Gov. Terry Branstad said Iowa has chosen a 'fitting location' for a permanent landscaped memorial between the Capitol building and the Oran Pape State Office Building — the headquarters for Iowa's public safety operations named after the first Iowa State Patrol trooper killed on the job.

'I know that this is a difficult and challenging time to serve in law enforcement and in uniform,' Branstad told the gathering.

'There are many unfortunate situations where the police are attacked and put in a very situation, but I want you to know that as the governor of this state that I respect and appreciate what you do day in and day out and the fact that you risk your lives on behalf of us, the people of this state,' he said.

'We are very blessed and very fortunate to have well-trained and very hardworking and also people that use restraint and good judgment to protect the citizens of our state,' he added. 'Today's ceremony is really an opportunity to say thank you for the positive impact that you're having on the lives of the people of Iowa.'