congratulations to honor guard member sergeant rick doll

Posted on by Aileen Johnson in Events, News

At the Special Olympics Minnesota Distinguished Service Awards Ceremony on September 14th, Honor Guard Member Sergeant Rick Doll received the Law Enforcement Torch Run Hall of Fame Award for his work with Special Olympics Minnesota.  

This award is given to people who bring Special Olympics Minnesota to new levels and who demonstrate unwavering leadership in the development of its mission.   

Sergeant Doll has led the Minneapolis Polar Plunge as law enforcement leader since its inception in 2007.  

Sergeant Doll has helped raise over $9 million, recruited 35,000 participants and involved more than 100,000 spectators over the eleven year history of the Minneapolis Polar Plunge. This event has helped create tremendous media awareness of Special Olympics Minnesota both locally and nationally, all under Sergeant Doll’s guidance

Additionally, Sergeant Doll has dedicated endless time, energy and resources to Special Olympics Minnesota by hosting Tip-a-Cop events, selling t-shirts, volunteering at competitions, participating in the Unified Relay Across America, and recruiting other law enforcement officers to volunteer their time.  

Sergeant Doll is an integral part of Special Olympics Minnesota.

We are proud of him and we congratulate him on his well-deserved award.

farewell to diego

Posted on by Aileen Johnson in News

We have some sad news to share.   During the weekend of August 24th, the Minneapolis Police Mounted Unit said farewell to Diego after he was injured and needed to be put down.  Diego was a 21-year-old Tennessee Walker who joined the unit in 2009.  He worked hundreds of shifts and was one of the MPD’s best police horses.  Diego will be  missed and fondly remembered by all who know him. 

we did it!

Posted on by Aileen Johnson in Donations, Events, News

We met our goal to work 11 Twins games this season!  Our volunteers raised $4287.59 for the Honor Guard and Color Guard and Mounted Police Foundations.  

Many thanks to Paula Barrette, Al Bird, Colleen Bird, Tammy Diepenbrock, Rick Doll, Julie Ludwig Woods and Amy Sizer for their excellent work!  

We have a tremendous sense of accomplishment and we hope that you will join us next year.  

Many thanks to Delaware North and the Minnesota Twins for their generous support of our foundation!

Ceremony to Honor Sergeant John W O’Neil

Posted on by Aileen Johnson in Fallen Officers, History, News

Appointed February 15, 1923 – End of Watch: June 7, 1944

Each Minneapolis Police recruit class chooses a fallen officer to whose service and memory they dedicate their training.

The current recruit class has chosen to honor Sergeant John W O’Neil who was killed in the line of duty on June 7, 1944.  

The recruit class selected Sergeant O’Neil because he died one day after the D-Day invasion and they thought that his sacrifice may not have been adequately recognized at the time due to the understandable focus on the D-Day invasion.

Sergeant O’Neil drowned while trying to recover a canoe after it went over St. Anthony Falls.  Two of the three men in the canoe were also killed.

Sergeant O’Neil had been with the department for 21 years.  He was survived by his wife Gladys and their three children John, Thomas and Sandra. 

Sergeant O’Neil’s funeral was held on Saturday,  June 10th, at Saint Helena’s Church at 43rd Street and 33rd Avenue South.  He was buried in Sunset Memorial Park.  He was escorted by the Minneapolis Police Honor Guard.  

A memorial fund for the family of Sergeant O’Neil was created by the Minneapolis Civic & Commerce Association.  “Sergeant O’Neil lost his life because he was serving the city beyond the requirements of duty,” the president of the association said in announcing the fund.  “Although he was entitled to retirement with a life income, he chose to remain during the manpower shortage resulting from the inroads of war.” 

This year marks the 75th Anniversary of Sergeant O’Neil’s death.

We are in the process of locating members of the extended O’Neil family to invite them to a small ceremony to be given in his honor this December.