Minnetonka Police Officer Gives Back to the Fallen

When Deputy Christopher Dewey of the Mahnomen County Sheriff's Dept. lost his life on Aug. 9, 2010 from a gunshot wound suffered six months earlier, he received a funeral with full honors.

Officer Shannon Odegaard of the didn't know Deputy Dewey, yet he was a pallbearer at his funeral. Odegaard also had the distinguished honor of folding the American flag that draped over Dewey's casket.

"It really means that I can give something back to those officers that have fallen," he said. 

Odegaard, 28, had the privilege of performing that duty because he's one of 40 officers in Minnesota who belong to the Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA), an organization of officers who volunteer their time to provide honors at funerals for law enforcement members who have died in the line of duty. 

"I think the mission [LEMA] is trying to complete is an incredible one," he said. "It's kind of an unfortunate thing that this unit has to exist. But it's great that they are there when they're needed."

Odegaard joined the Honor Guard in 2009 because he believed in their mission and realized it was something he wanted to be a part of, but he found that becoming a member of LEMA was easier said than done. Interested officers have to fill out an application, go through an interview, pass a physical and endure a five-day Honor Guard training at Camp Ripley in Little Falls. 

"It's very exhausting." Odegaard said. "I had no prior military experience. So all this — the marching and all that were brand new to me and it definitely wore me down."

And it's at Camp Ripley where the officers learn about flag presentation, rifle duties and casket details. (LEMA models itself off of the 3rd Military Infantry at Fort Meyer, VA).

Odegaard called it "a great experience."

"I can't tell you how many services or funerals that I've been to where the family members actually come up and they thank us," he said. 

Moments like that are when he's reminded of the significance of his position with the Honor Guard.

In 2010, Odegaard presided over three officers' funerals. LEMA also takes part in other activities throughout the course of the year, including Twins games, Vikings games and the Special Olympics. 

"The way that you can distinguish us versus many other organizations is, we're there guys that have a badge, but also a white hat," he said.

In total, he performs some sort of activity with the Honor Guard — on top of his duties with the Minnetonka Police Dept. — about once a month.

His next activity with the Honor Guard will take place tomorrow, when LEMA members will make their way to the Minnesota State Memorial on the State Capitol grounds in St. Paul in honor of Law Enforcement Memorial Day. Odegaard and the rest of the Honor Guard will stand guard, perform wreath ceremonies, walk 'The Thin Blue Line' and educate visitors about what they're doing until 7:30 p.m.

"It's a really neat experience to see what it is that we're doing down there," he said.

Officer Odegaard, meanwhile, says the Honor Guard requires a minimum three year commitment. But he plans to stay on as a member of the Honor Guard for as long as the Minnetonka Police Dept. allows.

"They're very supportive of it," he added.