Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has directed that flags on all state government buildings be flown at half-staff on Wednesday, October 25 to honor Buffalo Police Officer Craig Lehner.
The Peace Bridge and Niagara Falls also will be lit up blue Wednesday evening in remembrance of Officer Lehner.
Officer Lehner died in the line of duty while training with the underwater recovery team. Crews recovered his body from the Niagara River last Tuesday.
"This exceptional law enforcement officer, who was taken from us far too soon, will always be remembered in Western New York and beyond,"Governor Cuomo said. "The family of New York grieves for Officer Craig Lehner, who devoted his life to serving and protecting the people of this state, and asks that everyone keep his loved ones and colleagues in their prayers during this difficult time."
At 34-years-old, Officer Lehner was a nine-year veteran of the Buffalo Police Department. In addition to serving on the department's underwater recovery team, Lehner worked as a K-9 officer with his partner Shield, a 4-year-old German shepherd. Lehner also served as an Army National Guard military police officer for 16 years, assigned to the 105th military Police Company at Masten Armory in Buffalo. A staff sergeant, he was deployed to Iraq in 2011 and served at Guantanamo Bay detention facility in Cuba in 2014 until 2015. During his time in the service, he was awarded more than a dozen medals, including the Army Commendation Medal, Air Assault Badge, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and five Army Achievement Medals.
