The faces and names you will see and read about are those of law enforcement officers who have died in Nebraska. Each was a member of a family. of a community, and dedicated his life to protecting the citezens of Nebraska. We honor them.

1989-present | 1977-1987 | 1968-1974 | 1959-1967 | 1948-1958 | 1932-1945 | 1929-1930 | 1921-1927 | 1914-1920 | 1900-1912 | 1866-1899

		NE State Trooper Duane F. Nichols, Douglas County Nebraska State Trooper Duane F. Nichols died from injuries suffered in a head-on collision on Thursday, July 24, 1958. The crash occurred at about 4:30 p.m. on Highway #275 near the west edge of Waterloo. He collided with a car driven by a suspected drunk driver. Trooper Nichols was killed instantly. Trooper Nichols was 31 years old and survived by his wife, Gertrude, and three children.
		Chief of Police Charles W. Eschenbrenner, Dawes County Crawford Chief of Police Charles W. Eschenbrenner died as a result of a heart attack following a call and arrest of a barricaded man with hostages. Chief Eschenbrenner died at about 2:35 p.m. on Monday, August 22, 1955, shortly after the suspect surrendered. Chief Eschenbrenner had attempted to negotiate the subject into surrendering. When this failed he called for tear gas. When the canisters of tear gas arrived, he decided to throw them through a basement window. While doing this, the suspect fired a shot at the lawman. Eschenbrenner was not wounded but suffered a heart attack following the attempt on his life. Chief Eschenbrenner was 62 years old and survived by his wife, Bertha, and two children.
		Officer John M. Claussen, Lancaster County Corrections Officer John M. Claussen was discovered on the floor of the penitentiary print shop at about 11:10 a.m. on Friday, April 16, 1954. Claussen had been beaten and stabbed, and died about a half hour later. Nineteen prisoners had left the print shop at 10:30 a.m. An intensive investigation was launched and on Saturday, May 15, 1954, Joseph E. DeYonghe was identified as the prime suspect in the murder of Officer Claussen. Claussen was 70 years old and survived by his wife, Emma, and five children.
		NE State Patrolman Marvin L. Hansen, Cherry County Nebraska State Patrolman Marvin L. Hansen died from a gunshot wound at about 10:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, 1954, near Valentine, Nebraska. Hansen and Cherry County Sheriff Bill Freeman had staked out a nearby road, having received a tip that it would be used by two suspects Ñ the Grandsinger brothers Ñ while transporting a stolen vehicle into the sand hills with the intention of stripping it for parts. The two lawmen stopped the suspects as they drove by, arresting Leon Grandsinger while brother Llyod fled from the scene. Hansen gave chase and was shot in the lower abdomen about 200 feet west of the road. He died a short time later. While Leon Grandsinger plead guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years in the State Penitentiary, brother Lloyd appealed his conviction and electric chair sentence, received a new trial, and was acquitted and freed after a second trial. Hansen was 28 years old and was survived by his wife, Lorraine.
		NE State Trooper Vernon C. Rolfs, Lincoln County Nebraska State Trooper Vernon C. Rolfs was shot and killed at about 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, 1953, about a mile and a half east of North Platte on Highway #30. Rolfs stopped a speeding vehicle and took the driver into custody. A passenger in the suspect's car continued on toward North Platte but the vehicle stalled and the passenger then joined Rolfs and the suspect. On the east edge of North Platte, the origional suspect pulled out a .45 caliber revolver and shot the trooper in his side. Trooper Rolfs died from his wound and the suspect was later captured. Trooper Rolfs was 38 years old and survived by his wife and two children.
		NE State Patrol Sergeant John T. Meistrell, Dodge County Nebraska State Patrol Sergeant John T. Meistrell died at 11:40 a.m. on Friday, April 10, 1953, from injuries sustained in an automobile crash. Sgt. Meistrell was headed west on Highway #275 toward Hooper at about 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31, when he lost control of his patrol car and struck a tree. Meistrell was hospitalized in critical condition until the time of his death. He was 43 years old and survived by his wife, Lillian, and two children.
		Deputy U.S Marshal James J. Guerin, Douglas County Deputy U.S Marshal James J. Guerin died at about 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 6, 1951, when the car he was driving collided with a semitractor trailer hauling concrete slabs. The accident occurred on West Dodge Road just west of the Elkhorn River. Deputy Guerin was returning to Omaha from North Bend, where he had been serving papers. Marshal Guerin was 38 years old and survived by his wife, Albertina.
		Chief of Police Chester (Chet) Calkins, Holt County O'Neill Chief of Police Chester (Chet) Calkins was shot and killed at about 1:30 a.m. on Friday, March 7, 1952, just off Main Street in O'Neill, after apparently observing someone stealing from parked cars. His brother, Night Policeman Walt Calkins, found Chief Calkins in his patrol car at about 2:00 a.m. Calkins had been shot five times at close range while seated in the patrol car. Joseph McLimans was later identified as a suspect in the case, convicted and sentenced to life in prison. Calkins was 51 years old and survived by his wife, Hazel, and three children.
		Officer Richard E. Leyden, Lancaster County Lincoln Police Motorcycle Officer Richard E. Leyden died at about 9:30 p.m. on Monday, September 26, 1949, of injuries suffered in an auto accident. The accident occurred at about 7:10 p.m. on 16th Street between "G" and "H". Officer Leyden's motorcycle struck the left front end of a pickup truck and he was thrown from the vehicle, suffering severe head injuries. Leyden was to be married just six days later.
		Officer Charles N. Overman, Gage County Wymore Officer Charles N. Overman was shot at about 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 30, 1948, in front of the Wymore City Jail. Overman had arrested a suspected drunk driver and transported him to the jail just before the shooting. As Overman pulled up in front of the jail, the suspect suddenly pulled out a .32 caliber revolver and shot the officer. The suspect first tried to flee but then stopped and shot himself in the head. Officer Overman died from his wounds at about 7:00 p.m. that night. He was 58 years old and survived by his wife, Ann, and two children.