In The Line of Duty Death of Sgt. Ben Bertram
POLICE K9 SERGEANT BENTON HURLEY “BEN” BERTRAM, 33 YEARS OF AGE, A NINE YEAR VETERAN OFFICER OF THE CHARLESTOWN CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FORMER CLARK COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT CORRECTIONS OFFICER; DIED IN THE LINE OF DUTY ON DECEMBER 12TH, 2018, WHILE IN PURSUIT OF A FLEEING FELON.
SGT. BERTRAM PROUDLY WORE CHARLESTOWN POLICE DEPARTMENT BADGE #550, POSTHUMOUSLY RETIRED; AND ASSIGNED RADIO CALL SIGN “DAVID 50”.
SGT. BERTRAM IS SURVIVED BY HIS K9 PARTNERS K9 KUBO AND K9 FRANCO, HIS PARENTS LUKE AND DIANE BERTRAM, SISTER LINDSEY WOLFF, NIECE LILLY WOLFF, BROTHER-IN-LAW CHIEF TIMOTHY WOLFF, OF THE CHARLESTOWN CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT.
DURING SGT. BERTRAM’S CAREER, HE WAS HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE DEPARTMENT’S K9 DIVISION, OF WHICH LED HIM AND HIS K9 PARTNERS TO BE INVOLVED IN HUNDREDS OF NARCOTIC FINDS AND SUSPECT APPREHENSIONS. ADDITIONALLY, HE EARNED THE RANK OF SERGEANT AND PUT HIS LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE TO GOOD WORK AS A DEPARTMENT SHIFT SUPERVISOR.
THE DEPARTMENT CONTINUES TO MEMORIALIZE SGT. BERTRAM’S IMPACT ON NOT ONLY HIS CO-WORKERS, BUT THE CHARLESTOWN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. THE DEPARTMENT HOLDS AN ANNUAL 5K RUN/WALK FUND RAISER IN SGT. BERTRAM’S MEMORY; AND REPORTS TO WORK EVERY DAY IN HIS HONOR.