late McCook police officer inducted into Nebraska Law Enforcement Memorial

Friday, May 13, 2016

 GRAND ISLAND -- A McCook police officer, who died in 1961 as the result of an acute heart attack while performing jail duties, has been inducted into the Nebraska Law Enforcement Memorial in Grand Island.

Police Officer David Martin had just completed feeding prisoners when he suffered the massive heart attack. He died instantly. Officer Martin, who was 44 years old at the time of his passing, joined the McCook Police Department in July of 1950. 

The Law Enforcement Induction Ceremony took place Monday in Grand Island.

In addition to Officer Martin, those memorialized were Detective Kerrie Orosco of Douglas County, who was shot and killed in 2015; Chief of Police Hank Baker, who was struck and killed by a train locomotive while searching for an escaped prisoner; Chief of Police Earl Milton of Sheridan County, who died from injuries suffered during a gun battle while arresting a suspected bootlegger; and Railroad Police Watchman Theodore Wise of Cheyenne County, who was robbed, beaten and killed while patrolling the Sidney rail yards.  Officer Martin's daughter, Judy Heskett of McCook, was in attendance at the Nebraska Police Officer Memorial ceremony. Officer Martin is also survived by two other daughters: Karla Iverson of Salem, Oregon, and Janice Goodman of California. Officer Martin's wife, Evelyn, and two sons, Gary and Eldon, are deceased.  

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Thank you for remembering our dad. He was a good man, and too many good men get lost quickly to memory once they have passed away. This was not his first heart attack. That happened several weeks before when he and his partner (I think Leonard Moon) were arresting someone. That heart attack was misdiagnosed, so he went back to work very early. He happened to be in the station when the cafe sent over the prisoners' meals, so he took them down. Evidently, the simple walk back up the stairs was all that was needed. He had turned 44 ten days before, and still had three children at home. Needless to say, it devastated our family. Judy and I remember him with a lot of love. Karla Iverson

-- Posted by KIverson on Fri, May 13, 2016, at 6:39 PM

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