Police Officer Craig E. Lehner, Buffalo Police Department, New York

Police Officer Craig E. Lehner

Buffalo Police Department, New York

End of Watch Friday, October 13, 2017

Craig E. Lehner

Police Officer Craig Lehner drowned while conducting a training dive in the Niagara River, in the area of Broderick Park and Bird Island Pier.

Members of the agency's Underwater Recovery Team were conducting a regularly scheduled training exercise in swift water currents. Officer Lehner entered the water as part of the training but failed to surface after his safety cable broke while he was submerged.

Officer Lehner's body was recovered on October 17th, 2017, during a massive recovery effort involving over 20 local, state, federal, and Canadian law enforcement agencies.

Officer Lehner was a veteran of the Army National Guard. He had served with the Buffalo Police Department for nine years and was assigned to the Canine Unit. He is survived by his mother and sister.

Bio

Age 34
Tour 9 years
Badge 2469
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Drowned

dive training

Most Recent Reflection

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So sorry to hear of the loss of this fine officer. May God watch over the Family and Fellow Officers that put their lives on the line for us everyday. We all lose when one of these heroes fall.

B.J.Umbenhower
D.A.V. CHAPTER 11 Springfield, Missouri Color Guard.
Son of Chief of Police.Deceased
Their watch is over, now they patrol in Heaven.

November 26, 2017