Category Archives: In Memoriam

Peace Officers’ Memorial Day

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Peace Officers Memorial Day has been commemorated on May 15th since President Kennedy signed a joint resolution of Congress in 1961. The North Dakota capitol building has been adorned with a blue line in the windows since 2017, when a joint resolution in the North Dakota legislature was passed to designate the day and the display. As far as I know, this is the only display in the capitol windows which appears in Century Code.

North Dakota peace officers who have given their lives in service of our state include:

Fred D. Alderman: Fargo Police Department: 1882
Evan Paulson: Mayville Police Department: 1890
James Rauland: Northern Pacific Railroad: 1899
H.M. Personius: Valley City Police Department: 1906
George E. Moody: Richland County Sheriff’s Office: 1911
Carl G. Nelson: Carrington Police Department: 1915
Seymour H. Douglas: McKenzie County Sheriff’s Office: 1917
Evan M. Jones: Richland County Sheriff’s Office: 1917
George Dixon: Wilton Police Department: 1917
Patrick J. Devaney: Minot Police Department: 1918
Kersey E. Gowin: North Dakota Office of Attorney General: 1918
Earnst W. Thompson: Ward County Sheriff’s Office: 1920
Lee S. Fahler: Minot Police Department: 1921
Julius A Nielson: Kenmare Police Department: 1921
Christian A. Madison: Stanley Police Department: 1922
Carl Peterson: Westhope Police Department: 1922
Charles R. Sneesby: Devils Lake Police Department: 1924
Nels H. Romer: Mandan Police Department: 1926
Hans C. Jess: Mandan Police Department: 1929
Martin G. Johnson: Ray Police Department: 1930
George Peipkorn: Burleigh County Sheriff’s Office: 1930
Leo Dagner: Willow City Police Department: 1933
David L. Stewart: Hope Police Department: 1933
Aslak “Oscar” Thorsen: Bottineau County Sheriff’s Office: 1936
Fred A. Patrickus: Billings County Sheriff’s Office: 1940
Joseph Runions: Mercer County Sheriff’s Office: 1941
Aurther M. Sem: Stanley Police Department: 1942
Charles M. Allmaras: Eddy County Sheriff’s Office: 1942
Jacob M. Hoerner: New Leipzig Police Department: 1942
John Oles: North Dakota State Penitentiary: 1946
Rudolf F. Howell: Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office: 1950
William W. Hansen: Velva Police Department: 1950
Henry S. Halvorson: Grand Forks County Sheriff’s Office: 1952
Nicholas J. Ethen: Devils Lake Police Department: 1953
Edward E. Mumby: New Salem Police Department: 1953
Beryl E. McLane: North Dakota Highway Patrol: 1954
John Holcomb: North Dakota State Penitentiary: 1954
Ralph L. Burdick: Benson County Sheriff’s Office: 1954
Lee E. Morrow: Federal Bureau of Investigation: 1960
Max L. Taylor: Bowman County Sheriff’s Office: 1960
Nathan N. Bear: Bureau of Indian Affairs: 1960
Ralph J. Hansen: Ransom County Sheriff’s Office: 1962
Frank A. Peterson: Rugby Police Department: 1963
Burdette M. Miller: Ray Police Department: 1966
Theodore C. Wanner: Dickinson Police Department: 1966
Robert D. Martin: Grand Forks Police Department: 1966
Raymond A. Wietstock: State Industrial School: 1966
Ronald E. Trautman: Jamestown Police Department: 1966
Frank C. Schultz: Burlington Northern Railroad: 1970
P.A. “Tex” Goyne: New Salem Police Department: 1971
Herbert R. Parmeter: Sargent County Sheriff’s Office: 1974
Kenneth A. Lenerville: Reeder Police Department: 1975
Kenneth B. Muir: U.S. Marshal Service: 1983
Robert S. Chesire Jr.: U.S. Marshal Service: 1983
Timothy L Wells: Willaims County Sheriff’s Office: 1989
Valence L. Pascal: Benson County Sheriff’s Office: 1993
Charles V. Pulver: North Dakota Game and Fish: 1995
Keith A. Braddock: Watford City Police Department: 1996
Roger C. Sorenson: Youth Correctional Center: 1996
Steve R. Kenner: Bismarck Police Department: 2011
Bryan K. Sleeper: Burleigh County Sheriff’s Department: 2011
Jason D. Moszer: Fargo Police Department: 2016
Colt E. Allery: Rolette County Sheriff’s Office: 2017
Cody N. Holte: Grand Forks Police Department: 2020
Adam G Gustafson: West Fargo Police Department: 2021
Jake R. Wallin: Fargo Police Department: 2023

I’m delighted to live in a state which honors its law enforcement personnel instead of trying to portray them as oppressors, defund them, or otherwise disparage them. Many of them are my friends and/or colleagues. If you encounter an officer this week, please thank them and voice your support. National Police Week is designated as calendar week in which May 15th falls, so you still have a few days.

Peace Officer Memorial Procession

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One part of today’s Peace Officer Memorial commemoration was a parade from the cathedral to the capitol for the conclusion of the day’s ceremonies. It was a special component of today’s event in order to honor former attorney general Wayne Stenehjem, who passed away earlier this year.

I was there with my cameras and caught the procession as it came by. I wasn’t able to stay around for the rest of the ceremony, but this was a special occasion and I wasn’t about to miss it. I’m glad I could share it with you.

My “Brush with Rush”

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I really miss Rush Limbaugh…the consummate broadcast professional. Thankfully, when I did get to speak with him, he did pay me a sort of compliment. The rest of my call was unremarkable, actually…but I’ll never forget how it began.

Regardless of how one feels about politics, it’s irrefutable what an amazing broadcaster Rush was or his impact on broadcasting in general. I didn’t listen every day, even though I was a subscriber, but I’ll miss him forever.

Global War On Terror Remembrance Wall

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gwot_wall_46136-8The Global War On Terror Wall of Remembrance made its way to Bismarck last weekend, and I was able to take my kids there and give it some context.  One side features terrorist attacks on our country going back over thirty years as well as important points in history along the way.  The other side features names of those who lost their lives due to terrorism or the war against terrorism.

 

gwot_wall_46150-2I thought ND National Guard Adjutant General Al Dohrmann put it best when he said tht every name on this wall was the most important person in the world to someone.  I sat in front of this wall with my kids and did my best to impress that upon them.

 

gwot_wall_pano_0087Click on the image for a MUCH larger version

After a long day at the Touch the Trucks event, and hungry as heck, my kids did a great job of patiently listening to me trying to give context to this traveling monument.  On the way to get our Pizza Burgers Flyin’ Style at Big Boy they asked me about how I remember the attacks of September 11th, 2001, and it was good to share my memories of the day.  I hope they don’t have a similar experience in their lifetimes, although I’m not too sure what the odds are on that.

Find out more about this traveling monument here.

2017 North Dakota Peace Officer Memorial Ceremony

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leo_memorial_45669I didn’t actually spend much time photographing the ceremony, but I did attend it this year.  Due to wind and threat of rain, the event was moved to the capitol’s Memorial Hall instead of outside at the monument on the east side of the J-Wing.

I did shoot some video of the rifle volley:

 
The video is in HD if you click through to watch it on YouTube.

This is a somber event, and one that I hope will get a lot more attention now that the community has gone through a major event with law enforcement and pro-LE sentiment seem to be at an all time high. Our community honors our heroes.

One of the rare times when I like that “Painterly” effect

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honor_guard_45698-700_painted-(crop)(Click on the image for a larger version)

This weekend I’ll post a couple things from the peace officers’ memorial ceremony on Wednesday, but there’s no time to do so today.  I did want to share this photo, though, because it is one of the few photos I’ve taken that lends itself to a particular effect.

I love HDR (High Dynamic Range” photography, especially with drone footage.  I’m no master, but I hope to improve.  I love the way I can grab details from the lightest and darkest parts of the photo and blend them all together into a “hyper-realistic” final product, and if done with the proper restraint it can be breathtaking while still not entirely artificial looking. Sadly, so many examples of HDR imagery (especially when it first took off) are overblown, oversaturated, pasty conglomerations that reduce the technique to an eyesore.

Not this one.  I wanted a “painted” effect for the Peace Officers’ Association honor guard, and it worked.  I had the right lighting, I had the right subjects (they stood STILL), and it all came together.  I’d love your feedback on this effect.  I’ll post a couple of photos and a video sometime in the near future.

Working all the angles

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ww_memorial_37376-8_hdrI recently took my boys to the memorial monument on the east side of the Liberty Memorial bridge.  They read the plaques an wandered around, appreciating both the monument and the nice weather (finally) after so many rainy and/or windy days. I, of course, wanted to do some photo work as I’ve been bouncing off the walls lately.

 

ww_memorial_37383Here’s the view upward as my camera looks straight up the middle with a wide-angle lens.  A little fill, a little circular polarizer, and I have a satisfying bit if white geometry on a vivid blue backdrop, with a trio of flags thrown in for good measure.

 

ww_memorial_dji_0085My favorite angle.  Not only does this show the center “aurora” looking spires, but it also looks like something out of a Picasso painting of an eyeball.

I’ve been trying to revisit some familiar photo sites lately, as well as branch out for some new ones…but this is a b usy time of year for me.  Thankfully I still have a few places in mind that aren’t far out of town.  Then I get to post them here and share!

EOW 2-11-2016

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peace_officer_memorial_36388-90_HDRFargo police officer Jason Moszer has passed away due to injuries inflicted by one of the citizens he’s sworn to protect.  Domestic violence calls can be the most unpredictable and volatile situations, and this proved true on the night he was shot. This cowardly act on the part of the shooter was senseless and deprived a community and a family of their hero.  I drove to the capitol yesterday and stopped at the Peace Officer Memorial to ponder for a second.  The thought of another name being added to that wall is infuriating.

There’s a donation campaign underway.  If you want to help out Officer Moszer’s family, please consider going here and donating.  I’ve been on the receiving end of financial help from others when we were going through our family’s avalanche of medical and other issues, and it’s an enormous blessing.  Here’s the link:

https://www.crowdrise.com/fargopoliceofficermoszersfamilybenefit/fundraiser/aaranjoneson

Pray for the family and comrades of Officer Jason Moszer.

In memoriam

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gwot_memorial_32255I teach my kids that there are three real superheroes: the preacher, the soldier, and the first responder.  I took a moment to visit the GWOT Memorial last weekend and thought I’d share this image from that visit.  Would have loved to visit the Veteran’s Memorial this weekend as we remember the Pearl Harbor attack, but I’ve been down with a sinus infection thing all weekend.  That’s okay…one can still be thankful from a bed or couch, all dosed up on TheraFlu.