Temple Daily Telegram
As he read the list of 22 names before the unveiling, Bell County Sheriff Eddy Lange invited relatives of the fallen officers to come forward, say a few words, and gather around the monument. He began with Deputy F. W. Venable of the Bell County Sheriff’s Department, shot by a prisoner being returned to jail on Oct. 24, 1878. The list ended with Trooper Thomas P. Nipper of the Texas Highway Patrol, who died in a motor vehicle accident on Nov. 4, 2017.
No one was present to represent the first 10 names, but several relatives came forward when Lange read the name of Trooper Hollie Tull of the Texas Highway Patrol. Tull was shot while attempting to arrest armed robbery suspects on Sept. 14, 1974. A young couple came forward when Lange read the name of Officer Carl I. Levin, of the Harker Heights Police Department, shot while questioning an arson suspect on Aug. 7, 1978.
Another couple came forward when Lange read the name of Deputy Adam J. Davis, of the Bell County Sheriff’s Department, who died Dec. 11, 2013, from injuries received in a fleet accident on Dec. 1, 2013.
Lange read the name of Detective Charles “Chuck” Dinwiddle, of the Killeen Police Department, shot while executing a search warrant on May 11, 2014. His widow, Holly, was among several people who came forward.
“I saw a picture of the statue,” she said. “It was beautiful.” She read John 15:13: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”
She said all of the fallen officers deserve to be remembered. “It’s because of our love for them that we want them to be remembered,” she said.
Lange read the name of Police Chief Lee Dixon, of the Little River-Academy Police Department, shot while questioning a suspect on June 19, 2014. His widow, Mary, came forward.
“Today is his birthday,” she said. “He passed away doing what he loved. Thank you for this. It means a lot.”
Lange read the name of Deputy Constable Jeffrey E. Radford, Precinct 3, Bell County, who died in a motor vehicle accident on Oct. 28, 2015. Jeffrey Radford Jr. came forward with his son and daughter.
“It’s a great honor,” he said. “I know what my dad was doing was what he loved.”
Six people came forward when Lange read Trooper Nipper’s name, including his wife, Tammy.
Steve Cannon, executive director of the Bell County JAIL Ministry, gave the invocation, and State Rep. Hugh Shine, R-Temple, spoke briefly.
“This is important, that we always show our law enforcement officers how much we appreciate them,” Shine said. One way to do this is pray for them every day, he said. “These men and women put their lives on the line for us.”
Lange told about the history of the statue, which was sculptured by Bell County Commissioner Tim Brown. The statue was the main purpose for forming the Bell County Sheriff’s Department Foundation, Lange said. The two other reasons were to provide assistance to officers and their families in times of crisis, and to make scholarships available. Later, a fourth goal was added: to help serve the community in times of natural disasters.