Dan Ottis has attended a fallen officers memorial service every year since his son, Eric, was killed while attending a class at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island.
This morning, Ottis, an Ashland police officer, wore his dress uniform with a black band bearing his son's name and date of death across his badge. He stood with his parents, Johanna and Anthony Ottis of Wahoo, and saluted as a Nebraska State Patrol honor guard posted the American flag during a ceremony at the very center where his son spent the last few hours of his life.
"It shows respect and honors those who've given their lives," Ottis said of today's ceremony. "I'd like to see more people come."
The Ottis family joined a number of law enforcement officers, the LETC's basic recruit class and staff, and a handful of others in the training center's gym to listen as the names of the 128 law enforcement officers who've died serving Nebraska since 1866 were read.
"It's a very nice ceremony," Johanna Ottis said.
Hastings Police Chief Larry Thoren welcomed those in attendance and thanked the officers' family members for their support.
During his initial comments, Thoren noted that 181 officers died nationwide last year.
"That's a five-year high," he said.
