Part of police memorial inspired by slain officer Shaw taken in New Kensington

A large part of a New Kensington memorial honoring police officers that has been vandalized before is now missing entirely.

Donna Pater said she and her husband, Steve, put up the concrete statue of a police officer with a dog near their home in the Mount Vernon neighborhood about two years ago, following the killing of city police Officer Brian Shaw in November 2017.

The Paters and a friend, Randy Wagner, work to keep the hill nice and clean, including cutting grass, trimming weeds and picking up litter.

The memorial, on the side of Center Avenue going up the hill from Stevenson Boulevard, was dedicated to all police officers, but Shaw “was the main reason why we did it,” said Donna Pater, who has relatives who are or have been police officers.

Pater said her husband saw the statue of the officer was gone, with only a few pieces of the shoes remaining, when he left for work Wednesday morning.

When he returned home and told her, “My heart fell,” she said.

New Kensington police Chief Bob Deringer said they believe the statue was broken off and taken overnight Tuesday. An investigation is under way.

The Mount Vernon Residents Association is offering a $100 reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible.

The dog is still there, but there’s no sign of the officer, which Donna Pater said was 3 to 4 feet tall and heavy.

Pater could not recall exactly how much they paid for the statue. She said they’ve already ordered a replacement, which cost about $250 with a discount from the manufacturer. They expect to get it in mid-May and will paint it before putting it in place.

They’re also looking to put up surveillance cameras.

Donna Pater said they’ve fixed and repainted the statue after past vandalism incidents, which have included scratches, breaking off the nose and writing on it.

The memorial was not complete. They had plans to put in a fence and bench and plant flowers.

“I was going to paint it this weekend because it’s going to be nice, and it’s gone,” she said.

Before ordering the replacement, Donna Pater said they would see if the original could be put back if it was returned. If those responsible do step forward, she’d like for them to help with taking care of the hill as penance.

But she’s not holding much hope it will be returned.

“It’s gone,” she said. “Somebody’s dumped that somewhere. It’s in a backyard or somebody’s bedroom as a trophy.”