Cape police unveil statue at new headquarters
“For all who have faithfully served, some at the cost of your lives, you will not be forgotten for serving, sacrificing, and willing to put yourself on the line everyday, so shall you be remembered.”
So states a plaque behind the freshly unveiled statue, “The Protector,” at the front entrance of the new Cape Coral Police Headquarters.
The 700-pound bronze Cape Coral officer designed by Brodin Studios looks down to a small boy and holds his hand, his service weapon holstered beneath his outreached arm. The statue overlooks a small courtyard.
Officials unveiled the statue Friday with flag at half-mast in honor of Sept. 11.
“It encapsulates what our Police Department is here for,” Police Chief Rob Petrovich said of the statue. “I think that’s the dot on the eye, the cross on the ‘t.’
“It was a long journey,” he said of the new building, into which most of the department’s staff and equipment has been moved. “There were a lot of years of ups and downs.”
In recognition of Sept. 11, Petrovich told a crowd of onlookers, “I can’t think of a better day to unveil this statue.”
The chief expressed his gratitude to the men and women of the Cape Coral Police Department, and also to those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
“Who knows what that next call’s going to be?” he said to CCPD employees. “But I know you guys are ready for whatever that next call will be.”
Cape Coral Mayor Jim Burch said of Sept. 11, “It was the first sign on our shores that we are vulnerable. We should all count our blessings.
“We should never forget those that served,” Burch said.
The $50,000 statue was budgeted into the original cost of the building–about $100,000– to meet non-residential architectural design standards. Other design items included, to meet that standard, include a lake fountain system, a building clock and a soon-to-be completed outdoor seating area.
The black granite base of “The Protector” and wall panels, at a value of approximately $5,000, were donated in part by Coral Ridge Cemetery and Dignity Memorial.
“We hold the highest regards for the men and women who protect us every day,” said Dan Martinez, a representative of Coral Ridge Cemetery. “It is our honor to donate this memorial.”