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HomeNewsClarksville-Montgomery County Leaders gather to honor fallen officers

Clarksville-Montgomery County Leaders gather to honor fallen officers

City of Clarksville - Clarksville, TNClarksville, TN – Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan joined Clarksville Police Chief Al Ansley, Montgomery County Sheriff John Fuson and other dignitaries Monday morning for the annual observance of Police Memorial Day and National Police Week.

Each year during this week local leaders conduct a solemn ceremony to remember local officers who died in the line of duty, and to honor every law enforcement officer, past and present, for their dedicated service to the community.

Clarksville Leaders Gather To Honor The Fallen
Clarksville Leaders Gather To Honor The Fallen

“Today, I am honored to recognize our community’s law enforcement officers for their dedication to their profession, their tireless efforts and bravery in the face of danger,” Mayor Kim McMillan said during her remarks at Clarksville Police Department Headquarters. “This ceremony allows us to show our support and express our gratitude for the men and women who work to keep our community safe.

“We want to thank them for all of the sacrifices that they and their loved ones make daily to ensure that Clarksville is a safe place to live, work and raise a family. I encourage everyone in our community to take a moment today and every day to  thank these courageous men and women.

“It is difficult to find the right words to express our sadness at having lost brave law enforcement officers, who gave their lives protecting others,” Mayor McMillan said. “We can only try to balance our sorrow with our deep appreciation for the lives they led.  Long before they perished in the line of duty, they like all their peers, dedicated themselves to hard work, relentless training, and the patience and preparedness their jobs required.”

Nationwide, law enforcement agencies each year lose an average of 150  law enforcement officers in the line of duty. In 2017, 129 officers died while on duty.

During his remarks, Clarksville Police Chief Ansley called out the names of  Police Department officers and a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Deputy who have lost their lives in the line of duty. They are:

“Cowboy” Kermit Leonard Nipple – August 9th, 1945
Officer Nipple was Clarksville’s first officer killed in the line of duty. He died while investigating a fire on 3rd Street.  One of the walls collapsed, killing him instantly. He was 35 and had been on the Police Department for three years.

Kenneth Browning – February 13th, 1974
Officer Browning was shot and killed on Madison Street in front of the Post Office while responding to a call of a man with a shotgun.  He was 38 and had been on the Police Department for four years.

Aaron Douglas Glenn – November 19th, 1983
On November 5th, 1983, Officer Glenn was responding, on a motorcycle, to a domestic disturbance call.  Officer Glenn struck the side of a vehicle that pulled in front of him, and later died from the injuries sustained from the crash.

David Scott – June 7th, 2002
Officer David Scott died during a vehicle pursuit of a robbery suspect on the 101st Parkway.

Yamil Baez-Santiago – June 7th, 2002
Officer Baez-Santiago died during a vehicle pursuit of a robbery suspect on the 101st Parkway.  He had been on the department about four months at the time of his death.

Deputy “Bubba” Johnson – January 12th, 2014
Deputy Johnson lost his life in a vehicle accident while on duty with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office. Johnson had previously served with the Montgomery County Emergency Medical Service and the Clarksville Police Department.

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