Permanent Memorials for Law Enforcement Officers Lost in 2011

The Oregon Legislature honored Rainier Chief Ralph Painter by renaming an 18-mile segment of Highway 30 from Rainier to St. Helens as Ralph Painter Memorial Highway and installing signs about the designation near the two cities.

On October 24, residents from Rainier and the surrounding areas, as well as city officials from Longview, Kelso and Clatskanie and members from each city's police department attended a dedication ceremony at Rainier's Riverfront Park.  It had been 10 months since Rainier Police Chief Ralph Painter died in the line of duty on January 5, but it doesn't seem that long for friends and family.

"I'm just hanging in there," said Amy Painter, his wife. "It's hard." However, the support from the community has helped, she said.

"I can't believe it has been 10 months," Rainier Mayor Jerry Cole said. "We've all felt the pain of losing our chief. ... The wounds may heal, but the scars will be there forever, and we'll always remember Ralph Painter."

Painter, 55, was shot after struggling with a suspicious man outside a West Rainier car stereo store. Daniel A. Butts, 21, Kalama is accused of commandeering Painter's gun and shooting the chief. Butts, who has been charged with aggravated murder, is undergoing evaluation to determine whether he's mentally fit to stand trial.

Monday, people spoke of how Painter lived, rather than the tragic way he died.
"You don't know the impact you make until something like that happens," said Longview police Sgt. Doug Kazensky, who responded to the call with Painter.

 Senate Bill 987 renames the stretch of highway the 'Officer Chris Kilcullen Memorial Highway
Almost eight months had passed since Eugene police officer Chris Kilcullen was killed during a traffic stop, when Saturday, December 10, the community honored him with a highway name dedication from Interstate 105 starting at the Washington-Jefferson Street bridge in Eugene, to Highway 126, to Main Street in Springfield.
 
"There's no greater love than to lay down one's life for his friends, and everybody in the community was Chris's friend," said Springfield Police Chief Jerry Smith.

The ceremony was held at Kilcullen's alma mater, Willamette High School.

"Today is ... another way for us to honor Chris and pay our respects to what a great man he was," said Kilcullen's friend Tim Haywood.

"I can't believe or begin to tell you how proud I was when Chris decided to become a police officer. I knew he'd be a good one," said Kilcullen's father John Kilcullen.

The section of highway is particularly significant because it's an area Kilcullen often patrolled, and he passed it every day on the way to work. Four signs, two in each direction, will be put up on the highways.

"He won't be forgotten and every time we drive down that stretch between Eugene and Springfield, Chris will be there," said John Kilcullen.

 by Lauren Lee, KVAL news