LINCOLN CITY, Ore. – The officer shot and critically wounded while trying to pull over a speeder in Lincoln City late Sunday night has been described as one of the area’s best cops and a friend to many.
Officer Steven Dodds, 45, was listed in critical condition at Legacy Emanuel Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. During a press conference at the hospital Monday, fellow officers said they were reeling from the news that Dodds had been shot.
“He’s like a brother. I have a burning pit in my stomach. It’s hard to get my head around it,” said Port of Portland officer Tracy Burt, who has been friends with Dodds since high school. “We’re hurting right now… he’s been with the agency for six years,” added Lt. Jerry Palmer with the Lincoln City Police Department.
Dodds is well-known and well-liked in the Coastal community. He was selected as Lincoln City’s “Officer of the Year” in 2009 and then again in 2010. He also earned the “DUII Enforcer of the Year” honor in 2008, for making the highest number of DUII arrests. “Steve is out every day. He does his job very well,” Palmer said. “He knows how to find bad guys.”
Dodds graduated from Newport High School in 1985 and has one daughter. He is not currently married.
Before getting hired in Lincoln City, Dodds worked as a reserve officer from 1996-1997 in Philomath and in Toledo before that.
A candlelight vigil was held on Monday at 6:30 at the Lincoln City Community Center and local radio station KBCH 1400 AM was also holding a fundraiser on the air for Dodds and his family.
