On Friday, October 15 at 9 a.m., the Champaign Police Memorial Ceremony will be held at West Side Park (400 W University Ave, Champaign) to honor law enforcement officers from around the world who have died in the line of duty. We will pay a special tribute to Champaign Police Officers Thomas Dodsworth (end of watch July 6, 1913), Robert Tatman (end of watch November 25, 1967), and Christopher Oberheim (end of watch May 19, 2021), who paid the ultimate sacrifice while serving the Champaign community.
As part of this year’s ceremony, the Champaign Police Department will present the Medal of Valor and Purple Heart Awards to the family of Officer Christopher Oberheim and Officer Jeffrey Creel for their distinguished service with exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety, in an attempt to protect and save human life on May 19, 2021.
The Police Memorial Ceremony traditionally occurs in May of each year during National Police Week. This year, to help assure opportunity for in-person attendance, the ceremony was moved to October.