(LAWRENCE, Ind.) – The Lawrence Police Department has unveiled a monument at its new
headequarters, honoring the department’s only line-of-duty death.
Craig Herbert died 16 years ago when a 15-year-old boy stole a van and led police on a 100-mile-
an-hour chase before crashing into Herbert’s squad car. Lawrence Police included the memorial in
plans for their new headquarters which opened last year. Chief David Hofmann says with the
black granite monument’s dedication, the new building finally feels complete.
A small marker at the Lawrence Government Center has honored Herbert since shortly after his
death, but Hofmann says that memorial is at ground level and hard to see, and in an area where
few people go anyway. He says he was determined to have the headquarters monument in a
prominent place.
The monument includes a photo of Herbert and a depiction of his three badges, from his career as
an Army military policeman and as an officer with the Lawrence and Fortville Police Departments.
On the back is a Celtic shield and sword, a private tribute from Herbert’s two sons.
Herbert’s sons and widow missed the ceremony after contracting COVID-19. His nephew Renn,
who was nine when Herbert died, told the small crowd he recalls his uncle always carried himself
with a sense of purpose. He says he’s looked for that quality in others in the years since, and has
found it to be rare.
The dedication was one of two on Friday in memory of three fallen Marion County officers.
Southport Elementary School has placed a commemorative bench to honor Southport officer
Aaron Allan, and IMPD officer Breann Leath, who went to school there.
Allan was shot to death in 2017 while attempting to help a man who had crashed his car. The trial
of accused killer Jason Brown has been postponed four times and is now scheduled for next
February. Leath was shot and killed while answering a domestic violence call last year. No trial date
has been set yet for the accused gunman.
