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:
“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:
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.”
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
K9 Sponsor
Social Media Sponsor
Media Sponsors
In-Kind Sponsors
Special Thanks