Blue Lights Will Honor Fallen Officers at Patriot Lake

Law enforcement officers throughout West Tennessee who have died in the line of duty will be honored this week at a community “walk” at Shelby Farms Park.

“Their Light Shines On” will be sponsored by the West Tennessee Chapter of C.O.P.S. (Concerns of Police Survivors) and the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office.  The “C.O.P.S.” organization provides financial and emotional support to the families of officers killed while on duty. 

The 2008 Walk for C.O.P.S. will be held Friday evening, May 9.  Registration starts at 6:15 outside the Shelby Farms Visitors’ Center at Patriot Lake near Walnut Grove Road and Farm Road.  The walk begins at 7 p.m. and ends at 9 p.m.

“Each year during the month of May, law enforcement agencies across America hold events to recognize officers who have died in the line of duty.  We appreciate this opportunity to partner with C.O.P.S. and hope this will be a yearly event to honor those from the Sheriff’s Office and other police agencies,” said Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.

Walkers will be given blue “glow lights” to carry while making the 1 ½ mile trek around Patriot Lake.  Bagpipe music will be played during the walk in honor of the officers.

Thirteen (13) Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Patrol and Corrections Deputies have died in the line of duty.  The first deadly incident happened on July 12, 1904, when Shelby County Deputy Sheriffs Thomas McDermott and Houston Mitchell died during a shootout at a gambling parlor.

Deputy Tim Dunn was the most recent Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Deputy to die in the line of duty.  Deputy Dunn was killed in a traffic crash on the morning of October 29, 2004.  He was on his way to conduct a criminal investigation near Bartlett.  Dunn’s brother, Mitch Dunn, a chaplain with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, will join Sheriff Luttrell in the opening ceremony for the walk.

“We think the name, ‘Their Light Shines On,’ is so appropriate for this event. We must never forget the fallen officers or their families,” said Linda Gregory, President of the West Tennessee Chapter of C.O.P.S.

To read more about Deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office who have died in the line of duty, go to the Sheriff’s Office website at www.shelby-sheriff.org . Look for the “Fallen Officer Memorial” listing on the home page under the “Resources for the General Public” heading.

The entry fees for the 2008 Walk for C.O.P.S. are $10 for adults and $5 for children five years-old and older.

All proceeds will benefit the West Tennessee Chapter of C.O.P.S.  For more information, go to the website www.wtn-cops.org or call Ms. Gregory at (901) 573-1020.