The Omaha police officer and native Iowan who was fatally shot last year will be honored this spring along with other law officers who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty. Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer says he’s been asked repeatedly how the department will be remembering Officer Kerrie Orozco, who lived in Council Bluffs.

“We decided on two things,” Chief Schmaderer says. “The first thing we wanted was to make sure the public could be involved. What we did not want was a one-time event and if you missed the event, you missed your opportunity to be involved. We want something everybody can participate in. The second area we wanted to explore was the opportunity for us to honor all of our fallen officers.”

The plan is to create a public art installation called, “Horses of Honor – Omaha.” The chief explains the features of the memorial. “Eight life-sized statues of mounted patrol horses and also a canine statute to commemorate Kobus who died recently,” Schmaderer says. “Seven of the horses will be displayed in prominent locations throughout Omaha’s Turner Park. An eighth horse is planned for the Omaha police headquarters. Each horse will be designed by an artist and named for a fallen Omaha police officer.”

The display is scheduled to be unveiled on May 20th, exactly one year after Orozco was killed. “The statues will remain on display for about one year,” the chief says. “After a year’s time the horses will be auctioned. All of their proceeds will benefit the Omaha Police Foundation.” The 29-year-old Orozco was a Walnut, Iowa, native. She was shot to death while serving an arrest warrant. The suspect was also killed. Orozco left behind a husband, two stepchildren and a newborn daughter. That girl, Olivia, was born several months premature last February and was due to come home from the hospital the day after Orozco was killed.

(Radio Iowa)