The Story of Utah's First Fallen Officer: Deputy Badger

Utah's first police officer to die in the line of duty was Deputy Rodney Badger. Deputy Badger was a Deputy Sheriff with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office, a husband and father of four children.

On April 29, 1853 Deputy Badger was assigned to aid families crossing the Weber River in northern Utah. Large groups of pioneers where still making the trek to Utah after Salt Lake was first settled a few years before. The Utah territory was rugged frontier land filled with obstacles, causing families to rely on the help of others. This brought out the true charity and sacrifice of others, willing to help complete strangers accomplish a common goal.

Charity and sacrifice were certainly strong characteristics of Deputy Badger and they weren't absent that dreadful day in April. On that day he was working the Weber River, he saw a family, consisting of a mother and six children, attempt to cross the river. During the crossing the wagon tipped over, dumping the occupant into the freezing cold water. Immediately Deputy Badger jumped into the river to help the family out. Badger went into the river and tried to help each of the family members out of the river one at a time.

His plan worked well his first couple of trips into the river. April is the time all the melted snow runs off the snow covered mountains, entering the streams and rivers causing them to be extremely cold. Due to the cold temperatures Deputy Badger's body was becoming weaker. By the time he helped the mother and four children out of the water, Deputy Badger's body was exhausted and hypothermia was most likely setting in. When he entered the river to gather the two remaining children his strength failed him and he went under the surface of the water, never to come back up alive.

Deputy Badger died while trying to save the lives of a family who was in desperate need. The heroic actions of Deputy Badger are an inspiration to not only police officers but to all people. In 2009 the Utah Police Officer Memorial was dedicated and on the north end of the memorial is a large statue of Deputy Badger holding a child. May the memory of his actions and character live on.

Reference:

Officer Down Memorial Inc.,

http://www.odmp.org/officer/1388-deputy-sheriff-rodney-badger