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ae officer hoored wih sae a oice Acade
n BY DAN CAMPANA
Nearly eight years after Officer Thor Soderberg’s death during a suspected robbery attempt while off duty, a re- minder of his dedication to the depart- ment and teaching the next generation of officers will live on at the Chicago Po- lice Academy.
On March 16, a uniquely decorated K-9 statue — one of many which adorned the Mag Mile last summer as part of a Chi- cago Police Memorial Foundation cam- paign — was unveiled outside the acade- my in a solemn ceremony punctuated by the colorful dog figure.
Jennifer Loudon, Soderberg’s widow, smiled as the work of art was revealed, saying, “It’s really cool. I hope you like it.”
Artist Erika Vazzana creatively adorned the statue with an image of a Viking-like character, other images with personal ties to Soderberg and his star number. Family members raised money to purchase the statue ultimately used to
recognize Soderberg at a fitting location. Loudon told those who assembled in the cold, including dozens of cadets, that her husband “loved working at the acad-
emy.”
“He was a really great teacher,” she
said. “He would be really honored.” Soderberg was 43 years old and had worked 10 years with the Chicago Police at the time of his death. He also served in
the U.S. Army.
The memorial foundation recently
announced that the K-9s for Cops pro- gram would return for a second year this summer. In addition to the statuesque German Shepherds, Labrador retrievers will be available for sponsorships. Spon- sors then work with an artist to create the dog’s style and design.
The K-9s will be displayed on Michi- gan Avenue from Aug. 13 to Sept. 30, ac- cording to CPMF.
More information on the K-9s for Cops can be found at www.chicagok9s.com. d
48 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ APRIL 2018