During the 160-year history of the Omaha Police Department, 26 officers have fallen in the line of duty protecting the citizens of Omaha.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has had two officers fall in the line of duty. The two Douglas County officers died 40 years ago, in November and December 1977, and are the only line-of-duty deaths in the 161-year history of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office.
These deaths occurred while the deputies were off duty and didn’t take place on a dusty county road or at a rural farmstead; rather, they occurred in the City of Omaha while protecting the citizens of Omaha.
In Las Vegas, during the mass shooting this past Oct. 1, off-duty law enforcement officers rushed to protect those around them instead of fleeing the mayhem themselves. Several off-duty law enforcement officers were shot.
One of them, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Officer Charleston Hartfield, a father of two, was attending the concert with his wife when the shooting began. Hartfield, instead of running away, ran to provide help and cover for persons who had been shot. He then fell victim to additional gunshots and lost his life.
That same scenario played out in Omaha on Nov. 26, 1977, when a mentally ill gunman entered the now-closed Club 89 and opened fire with a shotgun, just as an audience of approximately 200 was settling in for an evening comedy performance. The six shots he fired killed one person and left 25 people injured.
Killed in this long-ago shooting was off-duty Douglas County Sheriff’s Capt. Dennis Lipari, a father of six who was celebrating his anniversary along with other deputies and their wives.
When the shooting began, several persons at their table were wounded, including Lipari’s wife, Ruth. Capt. Lipari attempted to rush toward the shooter to stop him but was fatally wounded.
Just a few days later, on Dec. 2, 1977, tragedy struck again. Douglas County Deputy Charles Dobbertin was off duty in his personal vehicle, just north of downtown Omaha. Dobbertin observed an individual near a delivery truck. The man did not appear to be the driver and was acting suspiciously.
Dobbertin stopped to investigate and interrupted a theft in progress. An altercation took place, and the deputy was shot with his own service revolver. Dobbertin, a father of three, died from this wound four days later, on Dec. 6, 1977.
Much discussion has taken place recently, and much angst has been expressed, involving policing in America.
But what stands out is that law enforcement agencies continue to select brave individuals to do the job that so many criticize. Whether these brave officers died 40 years ago or today, these heroes continue to step forward into the brilliant light of danger to protect all.
Unlike others who punch a time clock or play a game, from the moment law enforcement officers take their oath, they are always on duty. Sadly, because of that, their lives are sometimes cut short.
We should all bend a knee in prayer, be thankful in remembrance for their sacrifices and salute them for a job well done.
Honor and Remember Nebraska Chapter is pleased to present this flag, sponsored by Spartan Nash, to the family of Deputy Charles E. Dobbertin.
Dad,
Thank You for serving and protecting and for making the Ultimate Sacrifice. I am Proud and Honored to be your daughter. I miss and love you as much today as I did 40 years ago when God's Angels took you away...
Being asked to describe my Dad, Deputy Charles E. Dobbertin is not an easy task. As powerful as words can be, they seem miniscule in the attempt to describe his kind, caring, loving heart and soul. Everyone gravitated to him because they could see his warm and welcoming spirit.
Dad loved helping others. He wanted to be in Law Enforcement all his life. Even as a child he would stop and talk with any Police Officer he seen. He achieved his dream of being in law enforcement and he served and protected with Great Pride.
He loved his work and was especially good with young people. Dad worked part time as security for the Crossroads Shopping Center. The young folks that worked there loved him. One Christmas, they gave him a large brown bath towel with the word “DAD” engraved on it.
Dad and a few fellow deputies were instrumental in forming the Douglas County Sheriff Boat Patrol. They patrolled the river each week-end in the summer assisting boaters who needed help. They also used the boat for rescue missions in flooding or a drowning. The boat patrol was privately funded and the deputies volunteered their time without pay.
This was a great community service. After my Dad's Death we donated his boat to the Sheriff's Boat Patrol. This is just one of MANY things my Dad did to protect and serve his community.
Today my Dad is still doing something great for our community and that is the endowed DEPUTY CHARLES DOBBERTIN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOR STUDENTS AT THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB interested in Criminal Justice. The recipients are so grateful and they will work as Dad did to make this world a better place.
N HONOR OF DAD:
Early in the afternoon of Dec. 2, 1977, the telephone rang in the physician's office. The ring hinted at no disaster. It did not clamor of tragedy. The secretary picked up the telephone. A routine thing in a doctor's office.
The note in the caller's voice and his message were not routine. "This is the physician in the Emergency Room at Lutheran Hospital. We have one of your patient's here. He's been shot!!!
She asked for the name of the patient, an appropriate inquiry. The caller disclosed that the victim was "Charles Dobbertin, a Deputy Sheriff". Mrs. Charles Dobbertin, the secretary learned of the shooting of her husband in that instant.
Then she became engulfed in the full force of the tragedy. There followed a hurried drive to the hospital, three frantic hours of surgery and multiple transfusions to stay the hand of DEATH.
One day of HOPE and three days of DESPAIR. Then the actual moment of death with all the tears, grief, sorrow, feelings of absence and the loss that flow in the wake of DEATH. The private hurts, unending and sleepless nights and the deprivations suffered by a family. Things that are elusive to being captured by a pen.
THIS IS A SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT WRITTEN BY THE SON OF MY DAD'S FRIEND. ENTITLED: MY HERO
"When I started this assignment it seemed kind of easy. Cutting out pictures in the newspaper of people who appeared to be hero's. But it really didn't hit me what a hero really was until something kind of terrible happened.
My best hero ever was my God-Father Chuck Dobbertin. Chuck was married to my Mom's Best Friend and she is my God-Mother. Chuck and Cathy had there girls, Jody, Julie and Judy. Chuck never had any brothers only one sister (Karen). He didn't have any sons, so I was kind of his son, his Godson.
Chuck became a Catholic when he married Cathy in Nov. 1959. He always wanted to be a policeman so he joined the Sheriff's Department and was a Deputy Sheriff.
Sometimes he would stop by and turn on the flashing red lights for us and it was really neat!
Chuck liked kids a lot and worked sometimes at Basketball and Football Games. He worked at the Auditorium at specials and one day when he was going down to get a paycheck at the auditorium, he saw a man stealing packages out of a UPS Truck.
Chuck stopped his own truck and chased the man, but the man dropped the packages so Chuck picked up the packages and put them back He drove on and saw the man again and got out and chased him and the man shot him in the face and stomach, that was Friday, Dec. 2, 1977.
My Mom and I went to the hospital on Saturday to be with Cathy. Chuck's Mom (Rose) and his Dad (Bud) were there and so was his daughter Jody. Cathy was at home trying to sleep. We stayed up there all afternoon.
My Mom went into see Chuck but I didn't. Mom and Chuck's Mom and Dad talked about how Chuck would go out of his way to do good things even when he was off duty.
He was a good man and tried always to share his goodness with people around him. I am sorry I didn't get to know him better but I feel he is always in my mind and heart. I wanted him to be my sponsor at Confirmation but now it is too late... CHUCK DIED YESTERDAY".