Blog: City Blog

Peace Officers Memorial Service Honors Sacrifices, Dedication

A large crowd gathered this morning at the Civic Coliseum for the annual Knoxville-Knox County Peace Officers Memorial Service to honor the service and sacrifices of local law-enforcement officers.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed into law a designation of May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week including May 15 as National Police Week. Two decades later, the first National Peace Officers Memorial Day Service was held on May 15, 1982, in Washington, D.C.

Locally, the annual service recognizes the dedication and professionalism of Knoxville police officers, and local law-enforcement officers who have passed in the last year are remembered. Their colleagues and family members place a red rose in their memory in the center of a memorial wreath. Through Thursday night, the decorative lights on the Henley Bridge deck are turned blue in recognition of National Police Week.

Wednesday's service also remembered the 28 former chiefs, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, officers, detectives, deputies, agents, troopers and K-9s who have recently passed. They are:

FBI: Special Agent Kenneth N. Raby;

Knox County Sheriff's Office: Officer Deana C. Brakebill; Capt. Joseph "Joe" S. Brooks; Lt. Anthony N. Cahill; Detective Harry L. Carroll; Officer Archibald "Archie" E. Gouldie; Officer James "Jim" F. Haun; Capt. Frederick "Fred" D. Ludwig;

Knoxville Police Department: Officer Reed Campbell; Sgt. John Mitchell "Mickey" Coker; Sgt. Cletus E. Ervin; Chief William C. Fox; Officer James D. Groover; Capt. Eleanor Watkins Guthrie; Lt. Robert Hembree; Sgt. Richard Lee Lyon; Chief Robert A. Marshall; Officer Donald McClendon; Officer Jack Melson; Capt. J.C. Odom; Officer Bob A. Roach; Lt. Richard L. "Ras" Scruggs; Officer Kenneth E. "Sluggo" Slagle; Officer David Stansberry; and K-9 Officer Argo;

Tennessee Highway Patrol: Major Harry Montgomery; Capt. Larry LaRue;

University of Tennessee Medical Center Police: Chief Frank G. Munsey.

Mayor Madeline Rogero and City Council members were amond the crowd at the police memorial service.

Posted by evreeland On 18 May, 2016 at 3:22 PM