Horses of Honor® Omaha Debuts in Omaha’s Turner Park

Exactly one year ago, the City of Omaha suffered the devastating loss of Officer Kerrie Orozco. Today, it celebrates her legacy with the debut of Horses of Honor® Omaha, an inspiring public art tribute to the fallen heroes of the Omaha Police Department.

Eight life-sized statues of mounted patrol unit horses – adorned by Omaha-area artists – are now on display throughout Omaha’s Turner Park. Seven of the statues honor individual officers chosen for their impact on the department, the community and those around them:

• Officer Kerrie Orozco – End of Watch: May 20, 2015 (by artist Fredy Rincon, sponsored by CHI Health)
• Officer Greg Hamill – End of Watch: February 18, 2014 (by artist Jave Yoshimoto, sponsored by University of Nebraska Omaha College of Communication, Fine Arts & Media)
• Officer Torrey Gully – End of Watch: January 16, 2013 (by artist Glenda Musilek, sponsored by Cushman & Wakefield | The Lund Company)
• Officer Dawn Pollreis – End of Watch: February 18, 2012 (by artist Bob Donlan, sponsored by COX Communications)
• Officer Kirk Tynes – End of Watch: April 26, 2010 (by artist Iggy Sumnik, sponsored by Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center)
• Sergeant Jason "Tye" Pratt – End of Watch: September 19, 2003 (by artist Ying Zhu, in collaboration with Jordyn Pratt and sponsored by Omaha Steaks)
• Officer James B. Wilson – End of Watch: August 20, 1995 (by artist Paul Hundtoft, sponsored by Werner)

“Today’s featured officers represent all fallen officers, who are well-respected members of the force, exemplifying courage, strength and a sense of duty to the profession,” said Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer. 

The eighth horse, designed by artist Trudy Swanson in tribute to all of Omaha’s fallen officers, will also be on display in Turner Park.

K-9 Kobus, the first Omaha police dog killed in the line of duty since the K-9 unit was re-established in 1996, is being commemorated with a life-size statue in Turner Park by De la Torre Art Design and sponsored by Lozier.

Additional complements to the Horses of Honor Omaha project include:

• A stainless steel Omaha Police badge, created and donated by Jefferson Davis of Heavy Metal Renaissance, displayed in Turner Park
• A Pop-up Police Museum, located in Midtown Crossing’s retail windows between Thirst-Tea Café and Cantina Laredo, will showcase a variety of historic pieces connected to the department, including photos, uniforms, signage, antique equipment and more. The display, free and open to the public, will remain on-site until late fall.

Guest speakers at today’s public unveiling ceremony include: Omaha Chief of Police Todd Schmaderer, Omaha Police Lieutenant Darci Tierney, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, the Omaha Police Foundation’s Dr. Jack Lewis and Stacy Laue, widow of Sgt. Jason Pratt.

The culmination of months of planning and preparation, Horses of Honor® Omaha mirrors the original Horses of Honor® program in Chicago, which was created and produced by AGENCY 360 and benefitted the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation. The year-long Omaha installation will culminate with the sale of the horses in the spring of 2017. Net proceeds will benefit the Omaha Police Foundation, a 501(c)3 organization working to ensure Omaha officers have the training and equipment they need to prevent crime, save lives and make Omaha a safer city.

Debut festivities continue tomorrow evening – Saturday, May 21 – with a Tribute Concert in Turner Park. Free and open to the public, the concert event will honor all those who serve and protect, featuring performances by Finest Hour, Omaha’s premier cover/dance/party band, and Recaptured, billed as “the nation’s most authentic Journey tribute band.”

• The Turner Park venue opens at 5:00 p.m.
• The concert begins at 6:30 p.m.
• Guests will be able to buy food on-site from Midtown Crossing restaurants and explore Omaha Police vehicles.

Horses of Honor® Omaha would not be possible without its generous sponsors, anchors of the Omaha community that graciously provided the funds to support fundraising initiatives, fabrication costs, statue transportation and other logistical needs.

Horse Statue Sponsors

• CHI Health
• Cox Communications
• Cushman & Wakefield | The Lund Company
• Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center
• Omaha Steaks
• University of Nebraska at Omaha College of Communication, Fine Arts and Media
• Werner

K9 Sponsor

• Lozier

Social Media Sponsor

• Mutual of Omaha

Media Sponsors

• Omaha World-Herald
• KETV

In-Kind Sponsors

• Dolphens Signs
• Jim’s Moving
• McGill Restoration
• Miller Electric
• Mulhall’s
• North Sea Films
• Pearl Productions
• Regal Awards
• Werner

 Special Thanks

• DWF Wholesale Florist
• Omaha Steaks
• Rotella’s Bakery