Marysville remembers fallen officer Osmar Rodarte one year after death with memorial bench
The community of Marysville gathered Thursday to remember Officer Osmar Rodarte one year after his death. He was killed in the line of duty during a drug trafficking bust.
A memorial bench was unveiled at Veterans Park in his honor.
"On the night before the event, I asked him, 'Are you ready for this?' His words were, 'Yes sir.' He had a smile on his face and it was a feeling of I'm getting ready to do what I was made to do. This is my purpose," said Chief of Marysville Police Department Vance Nabeta.
The idea behind the bench came from a 14-year-old.
"Officer Rodarte, I knew him. Not very well, but I knew him. So it was really close to home when he died. So I really wanted to honor him and this is my way of doing that," said William Curry, "he made this sacrifice is for us. He died for us."
Curry is part of Trail Life, a Christian group similar to the Boy Scouts. He dedicated his service project to honor the service of Rodarte.
"It's particularly meaningful when you have a ceremony generated by youth. And look what it led to. We would've certainly remembered Osmar on the one-year anniversary, but this is better than it would've been otherwise," said Chris Branscum, Marysville's mayor.
The chief of police led a prayer followed by a moment of silence during the time of Rodarte's death on March 26, 2025.
"We have actually grown, I think, a lot closer over the last year. Bridges have been built between the agencies, more communication, friendships," said Chief Nabeta.
Two more memorial benches are going to be put in at the Marysville Police Department within the next few weeks.
The Marysville Police Department is holding a candlelight memorial Thursday at 8 p.m. outside the police station.