POST PODCAST WITH DON ANDERSON, NORTH PLATTE POLICE CHAPLIN
NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — As part of National Police Week, the North Platte Police Department will hold a memorial service Wednesday to honor officers who have died in the line of duty.
The service will take place at 11 a.m. on May 14 at the Law Enforcement Memorial in Iron Horse Park. North Platte Police Chaplain Don Anderson, who spent nearly four decades in law enforcement in the Los Angeles area before moving to Nebraska, emphasized the importance of the annual observance.
“President Kennedy initiated this memorial to remember those in law enforcement who passed in the line of duty,” Anderson said. “There’s a national ceremony in Washington, D.C., where names are etched on a memorial wall and honored with events like a candlelight vigil.”
Anderson encouraged residents and businesses to show their support locally by displaying blue lights or tying blue ribbons to cars and storefronts during the week, which runs May 11–17.
“It’s not just about honoring the fallen—it’s about showing support for those who continue to serve,” Anderson said. “I’d like to see more than just the law enforcement community attend the memorial service. It’s open to the public, and it’s a powerful, humbling experience to reflect on those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our safety.”