POPE COUNTY, Minn. — For nearly fifty years the Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial Association (LEMA) has been helping the families of fallen officers.
A spokesperson for LEMA says two of their board members are in Pope County right now helping the sheriff’s office make plans for a funeral service and procession for Deputy Joshua Owen.
Several other members will be in the community later this week.
"The tragedy, the pain, it's emotional pain, but it becomes physical pain,” Kevin Torgerson says.
Torgerson served 24 years with LEMA’s honor guard, playing taps and paying tribute to fallen officers.
"Looking back, I’d say I have been involved with probably 40 of them, at least,” Torgerson says.
He's now a board member with the LEMA, and he is planning to be in Pope County later this week to support Deputy Owen's family and the community.
"When this kind of thing happens it really kicks that small agency offline,” Torgerson explains.
“They’re really not in the frame of mind to handle another domestic call for a while. They need some time to clean this up and take care of themselves. Plus, they have two other officers down that are recovering. We just want to make sure they have their time to grieve and we’re here to help them with that.”
According to the LEMA’s records, there has been 300 line-of-duty deaths in Minnesota since they started keeping track in 1874.
Deputy Joshua Owen is the first active-duty death of 2023 and the first since October of 2021.
"You just never know, and that's where LEMA's at. We hope we don't have to be used but we need to be ready and be at our best.”
After all these years, Torgerson says it's still emotional every time, thinking about the officer, their service, and the countless lives they touched.
"It's the ability to help people in their greatest need and right now, Pope County, the Owen family and friends, they need us and we're here to help."
The Minnesota Law Enforcement Memorial is located in Saint Paul on the state capitol grounds.
On May 15 a special ceremony will be held at the memorial as part of National Peace Officers Memorial Day.