The first piece of the Perry Police Memorial is now in place, after an eight-ton boulder was placed by the Police Department Monday morning.

The project is being headed up by the Perry Crimestoppers organization, and in addition to the rock and its message of thanks, the memorial will include a series of statues and a flag pole. The rock was purchased by the Crimestoppers for $1,000 and was placed by its owner, Dennis Allen, who also provided the boulder that’s to become Dallas County’s “Freedom Rock” in Minburn. Organizer Carolyn McNeil says they still have around $8,000 more to raise for the project, but she’s happy that some visible progress has now been made. “I’m so excited, and we’re wanting to push forward on it. And the police are ecstatic that they’re going to have something, they’re just so excited about it. So it’s an exciting project for Perry, and I think it’s really going to help just keep making this (area) look better!”

McNeil adds, they’ve wanted to place the rock for quite some time, but they’ve been stopped by the extensive rain throughout the early fall. With the rock in place, the next step is some landscaping work, followed by placing the other aspects of the memorial. McNeil says everything is dependent on fundraising, but she’s hopeful to have it ready for dedication by early spring. To that end, she encourages the public to donate to the project, and anyone interested in doing so can reach out to her directly by phone at 515-465-2193. You can also send donations to her at 924 Park Street, Perry, IA 50220.