For Immediate Release

Sergeant Eric Palmberg

Today, El Dorado County Sheriff John D’Agostini spoke at the unveiling of the Bald Eagle Monument at The Sheriff’s Office facility in Placerville.  Sheriff D’Agostini explained the 10-year history and inspiration behind the Bald Eagle sculpture, which was created by artist Georg Schmerholz. Sheriff D’Agostini and his wife Janine were inspired by Georg’s work and upon seeing one of Georg’s Eagle sculptures Sheriff D’Agostini knew a Bald Eagle sculpture had a “Perfect Significance”.  Sheriff D’Agostini worked with Georg to, “Come up with a long lasting, significant monument to the agency, the employees of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office and the Community we serve”.

Sheriff D’Agostini believed the El Dorado County taxpayers should not be responsible to pay for the sculpture and that it should be paid for with private donations.  Bill Roby at The El Dorado Community Foundation agreed to manage the funds for the fundraising effort.  These efforts were blessed with generous and benevolent donations from individuals, families, businesses, and various other groups.  

Once the project was officially started Georg began his work of creating 3D renderings and later casting bronze and welding it to a stainless-steel frame. Once the welds were ground and sculpted, patina was applied to create the finished product.  The process to create this magnificent sculpture took two years to complete.  Sheriff D’Agostini referred to the completion of this immense project and today’s event as the “Crowning Glory”. 

Sheriff D’Agostini spoke of what the Bald Eagle has represented historically.  He used words such as strength, integrity, rugged individualism, unity, and that the Bald Eagle is a symbol of our great nation.  To Sheriff D’Agostini the Bald Eagle Monument represents many things not only in our nation, but here in our El Dorado County community. 

Sheriff D’Agostini said,

“The outstretched wings symbolize protection for our agency, our employees, our families and our community.

The all-seeing eyes symbolize that we are always being watched, always being held to a higher standard and to conduct ourselves accordingly

and also that we are always watching over our community,

doing everything in our power to keep it safe.

And the claws,

swift judgement for those who would seek to harm anyone in our community

and also, to daily remind our own, never to cross the line or violate our vision or oath”.

Sheriff D’Agostini hopes others see the same things he sees and believe in the same things this eagle represents.  Sheriff D’Agostini thanked the generous donors and the citizens for their presence today and he closed by stating “…We dedicate this monument to the men and women of the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, our families and the citizens of El Dorado County”.