KANSAS CITY – The Overland Park Police Department is holding a ceremony today to honor an officer who died in the line of duty 40 years ago.
Officer Deanna Rose was killed on January 26, 1985, while trying to arrest a drunk driver on I-35. The suspect assaulted her and knocked her down beneath his car. As he drove away, he ran her over. Rose died from her injuries two days later, donating her organs.
At the time, Officer Rose was the only Overland Park Police officer and the first woman officer in the state of Kansas to have died in the line of duty. She was honored with the Award from Valor posthumously from the Kansas Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Deanna Rose Farmstead was dedicated in her honor - as a lasting tribute to her memory.
The Farmstead is where this afternoon’s ceremony will be held, starting at 5:30pm. The public is encouraged to attend.
The driver in the case pleaded guilty to manslaughter and served nine years in prison.