Theodore C. Wanner
Patrolman Theodore “Ted” Wanner died shortly before midnight on July 14th, 1966 when the patrol vehicle he was driving crossed some railroad tracks and struck the side of a box car, killing him instantly. According to the North Dakota Highway Patrol, a Northern Pacific switch engine and box car were traveling north on the south-fork of a Y-turnaround that intersects West Broadway. A train crew member told the NDHP that Wanner appeared to be chasing a speeder. The speeding car crossed the tracks successfully, but Wanner’s vehicle struck the box car directly underneath the door, becoming wedged underneath the train, and dragged 27 feet. The suspect continued to flee from the scene. Wanner had just been in contact with another patrol car just moments before the crash. He is believed to have been in the vicinity of the Cargill elevator when his last radio transmission was made. On the following day, police arrested a 33-year-old New England man in connection with Wanner’s death. He was charged with careless driving, which carried a maximum fine of $100 and 30 days in jail, or both.
Wanner was born July 8th, 1937 to Frank and Audina Wanner of Dickinson. He lived with his parents on their farm ten miles southeast of Dickinson until he enlisted in the Navy in 1952 where he served until 1955. He returned to Dickinson where he lived until his death. Wanner married Margaret Stelmachuk of Belfield on February 13th, 1961. He joined the Dickinson Police Department on December 28th, 1961.
He was survived by his wife; a 5 year old son Monte; his parents; a brother Edward Wanner; and two sisters Helen (Haag), Fairfield; Martha (Williams), Leveland, Texas.
Source: The Dickinson Press
Mary Jo Carrington
Mary Jo Carrington served on the juvenile relations bureau of the Dickinson Police Department in the late 1970s. She was the first female to qualify for a position within the Dickinson Police Department. Carrington, along with SGT Vaile Pender, ran the bureau for several years off of a federal grant. She developed an “Officer Bill” presentation for first graders in Dickinson and Gladstone. The program stressed that “police officers are your friends”. She also provided counseling for juveniles who get involved with their first brush with the law. Carrington determined if juvenile cases would be mandated to court or could stay with the youth bureau. Carrington was born July 22nd, 1946 to Joseph and Mary Huschka in Napoleon. She grew up in Manning, ND and served in the U.S. Women’s Air Force. She married David Carrington in Killdeer in 1965.
Carrington died on August 15th, 1979 after a year-long battle with cancer. She had been serving with the Dickinson Police Department for 8 years. She was survived by her husband, David, and daughter, Barbara.
Source: The Dickinson Press
K-9 Niko
In 2013, the Dickinson PD acquired K-9 Niko as a narcotics detection dog. She was a purebred Belgian Malinois that came fully-trained from North Iowa K-9 to detect the odor of marijuana, cocaine, methamphetamine, and heroin. She received her initial certification in August 2013 and was later paired with Officer Jayden Peters.
On October 15th, 2017, K-9 Niko experienced a stomach torsion while at home and was rushed to the veterinarian for emergency surgery. Though she survived the initial surgery, the bloat of her organs caused too much damage and she passed away at 12:50 PM.
Officer Peters and K-9 Niko were an extremely successful team. They recorded a multitude of drug arrests over the years and were highly proactive in the community, raising awareness for the public during demonstrations and public relations events. They were also well-known around the state as being the “team to beat” when it came to K-9 competitions. To date, they are the only three-time champions of the North Dakota Peace Officers K-9 Challenge, which is held each year in different locations around our state.