Written by PIO Natalie Hall
Clarksville Police Department
Clarksville, TN – Sergeant Ferguson has worked with the Clarksville Police Department for 19 years.
He is currently the District 2B Day Shift Sergeant. His home precinct is CPD Headquarters, and his area of responsibility is downtown Clarksville (Riverside Drive, Madison Street, the area surrounding APSU, Providence Boulevard, Lincoln Homes, Summit Heights, etc).
The Clarksville Police Department showed an immediate interest in Sgt Ferguson after he graduated from Austin Peay State University with a degree in Police Science and Administration. He went through their testing process in January of 1997 and was hired in February of 1997.
While Sgt Ferguson was at the police academy (before the course was changed), he set the record for the obstacle course.
“Through the years I have gotten bigger, but I have not lost my speed. I just can’t change directions as fast as I used to,” stated Sgt Ferguson.
He was promoted to Sergeant in 2002 and is one of the first Field Training Sergeants the department has ever had.
Sgt Ferguson said, “I absolutely love my job on patrol, and serving the city I love so much. I was asked about awards I have received over the years. To be honest, I have received so many that I have lost track.”
Awards
Sgt Ferguson has received several awards and been recognized for many different reasons.
The following are just some of the examples of Sgt Ferguson’s accomplishments.
- Officer of the Quarter several times
- Employee of the Year
- Life-Saving Awards
- Commendations for felony (drug, burglary, robbery) arrests
- Tactical Team Awards
- Thank you letters from several citizens
- And coins from the Chief and Mayor. Coins from both the Chief and the Mayor usually represent special achievements by the recipient.
Sgt Ferguson and the CPD Tactical Team (2001 to 2010)
Sgt Ferguson served on the CPD TACT Team from 2001 to 2010. Due to his participation in over 100 tactical deployments, he earned the distinction of being a Master Operator. He also earned the distinction of being Top Gun before he became a team leader.
Sgt Ferguson stated, “I very much enjoyed serving on this unit because the team knew how to complete a mission successfully. During my years on the team, we took a lot of drugs off the streets and arrested violent criminals. During our training and the multiple schools we attended around the country, we competed against several other law enforcement SWAT teams and military Special Forces teams from around the world. Many of those teams were revered as the best of the best, and yet we performed as well as or better than all of them. At that time, a lot of the TACT Team success was due to its leadership under Capt Gipson and Capt Crockarell. They are responsible for teaching me how to think tactically and to shoot fast and accurately. I retired from the team in 2010.”
Interesting Facts in Sgt Ferguson’s Law Enforcement Career:
- Sgt Ferguson has worked at the CPD for 19 years and has never had a complaint against him
- He hates driving fast
- Capt Crockerall is his cousin by marriage
- He is partly responsible for maintaining the CPD Skywatch Tower (he had to fix it’s generator with the t-shirt he had on at the Independence Day Celebration a few years ago)
- Sgt Nick Newman got him bit by a snake once
- And finally, Sgt Ferguson—“If you happen to see a guy in a Big Otter costume dancing and waving around about seatbelt safety…that’s me.”
“I put my uniform on every day to serve my city and make my family proud. I will always stand on the side of “good” and I will always do what is right. I believe in integrity, and that I was given a gift that allows me to stand against and fight against the evils of this world. Those that work with me know that when I am at work, I lead the way. I am also not afraid to roll up my sleeves and get dirty with my shift mates. A lot of people think I am mean or very intense, but that is far from the truth. I think I am one of the nicest guys out there…unless you are involved in criminal activity, then I get down to business,” stated Sgt Ferguson.
Johnny Ferguson
Sgt Ferguson said, “I am a military brat. My father brought us here (Ft. Campbell) in 1979, and we moved off post in 1980. I attended Byrns Darden Elementary, New Providence Middle School, Northwest High School, and Austin Peay State University. I worked at Kroger on Madison Street through high school and college. I graduated from APSU in December of 1996 with a degree in Police Science and Administration.
I was fortunate enough to have married my best friend Marcia Ferguson (middle school/high school sweetheart). We have made a beautiful family here in Clarksville. She supports me in all my activities and is there to patch me up when I come home broken from work or play. My extended family: Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother-in-law, Niece, and Nephew are here in Clarksville as well.
In my off time, I love playing video games on my Xbox (with my wife’s permission), and I fight online nightly, also with my wife’s permission. I spend a good amount of time in the gym or doing other exercises (mountain biking) to remain physically fit. I love fishing and hunting, and I eat what I catch or kill. My wife and I tried cos-play at a Comic Convention in Nashville and fell in love with it. I also love snowboarding. I am a big Titans fan and love watching WWE wrestling when I get the chance. And if I’m not doing any of the above-mentioned activities, I can be found watching the science channel.”
Conclusion
To sum it up, Sgt Johnny Ferguson puts his heart and soul into not only his family and the department but into the City of Clarksville. He protects the weak, maintains order, and enforces the law in a way that should make Clarksville proud. The CPD is proud to have him on the force!
