97-09-18 Police Headquaters, Memorial To Be Dedicated Sept. 23

NEW POLICE HEADQUARTERS DEDICATED

     COLUMBUS -- A brief ceremony will mark the Sept. 23
dedication of Blankenship Hall, new headquarters for Ohio State
University Police, and the Michael Blankenship Memorial.  Ohio
State President E. Gordon Gee will join in the dedication Tuesday
at 9:30 a.m. outside the new building at 901 Woody Hayes Drive. 
An open house until 3 p.m. will follow the ceremony.

     The Police Department is the first tenant of the renovated
building at the southeast corner of Kenny Road and Woody Hayes
Drive.  The building and memorial are named in honor of Michael
Blankenship, a University Police officer who was shot and killed
Feb. 10 in the line of duty.

     “It is just a beautiful site,” said Police Chief Ron
Michalec.   “But the police presence on campus is not diminished
because we have moved.  We are maintaining our area offices at
the core of campus.”

     The former headquarters on Millikin Road is being torn down
to make way for an extension of a neighboring parking garage.

     Although removed from the central campus, Blankenship Hall
is more accessible for visitors to the Police Department.  “It is
on a campus bus route, it offers easy parking and is easy to
drive to,” said John Kleberg, assistant vice president for
business and administration.

     Joining Gee and Michalec at the ceremony will be Bill
Walker, one of the student co-chairs of the project to raise
money to build the memorial.

     The Michael Blankenship Memorial outside the new
headquarters, consists of a low brick wall with a stone cap.
Benches will be added later.  A plaque is inscribed with the
words submitted by an anonymous student: “In memory of Michael
Blankenship/The Ohio State University Police/Killed in the line
of duty/February 10, 1997./Bless you who shield me from
the/reckless hands of tragedy. For you are/shepherd to my freedom
and protector/of my dreams.  Thank you, Michael./ -A student.

CONTACT: John Kleberg, 292-7970, or Ron Michalec, 292-2121.


[Submitted by: Von Vargas  (vargas.12@osu.edu)
               
Thu, 18 Sep 1997 15:49:22 -0400 (EDT)]
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