10/19/12 1:16 AMLRPD memorializes officers killed in line of duty | Arkansas Blog

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LRPD memorializes officers killed in line of dutyPosted by Kim Lane on Mon, May 14, 2012 at 5:08 PM

KIM LANE

Det. Knowles at Copeland grave site

A couple of weeks ago, the Little Rock Police Department started searching for the grave sites of all of the 23 LRPD officers who were killed in the line of duty.Homicide Detective Mark Knowles spoke at one of the grave sites on Monday, the first day of Police Memorial Week.

The gravesite, at Oakland-Fraternal Cemeteries, was that of Officer William Copeland, who was the first known LRPD officer to be killed in the line of duty. Hewas killed in 1885.

"Officer Copeland is a historic part of what our men and women go through every day when they put on that uniform. There could be a day when they don’tcome home and we want to remember them during this time," said Knowles.

Knowles is part of a big push to identify all of the officers killed in the line of duty this year. So far 15 gravesites have been found. Upon finding a gravesite, theLRPD registers the site’s GPS, photographs it and repairs it. In honor of police memorial week, the LRPD also places a personalized plaque and two gravemarkers — an American flag, and a thin blue line flag. The LRPD will mark the graves every year in honor of Police Memorial Week. It also plans to continue thesearch for the remaining grave sites.

See a list of the 23 LRPD officers killed in the line of duty on the jump.

"When they are here in the cemetery, that is not the end for our people," said Knowles. "Everyone knows there's a potential that that can happen to them. Thisprofession that we chose — there’s a certain amount of camaraderie that comes with it."

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Officer Knowles has been working for the LRPD for 20 years and has been to several friends’ funerals. "There are good times and bad times," said Knowles, "nomatter what, we are gonna take care of [the deceased officers] and their families."

There will be a memorial service to commemorate the 23 deceased officers on Friday, May 18 at 10 a.m. at the LRPD headquarters, located at 700 W. MarkhamStreet.

See a list of all the LRPD officers killed in the line of duty on the jump.

OFF. WILLIAM L. COPELAND DECEMBER 30, 1885

OFF. W. T. PHILLIPS AUGUST 1, 1908

SGT. WILLIAM I. CAMPBELL APRIL 18, 1911

OFF. J. O. MILLER APRIL 23, 1911

DET. SGT. SAM MORGAN OCTOBER 30, 1915

OFF. JOE ERBER JUNE 6, 1920

OFF. THOMAS D. HUDSON AUGUST 19, 1920

DET. SGT. JOHN W. CABINESS AUGUST 12, 1922

DET. SGT. GEORGE MOORE JULY 24, 1923

DET. SGT. LUTHER C. HAY JULY 26, 1923

OFF. CHARLES FAULKNER JULY 13, 1924

OFF. HARVEY L. BIGGS JULY 27, 1924

OFF. FRANK SWILLING, SR. DECEMBER 11, 1926

OFF. ROBERT A. JOHNSON MARCH 23, 1930

SGT. SAMUEL NEAL McDERMONT SEPTEMBER 3, 1930

DET. LT. OSCAR F. “JACK” DEUBLER JANUARY 1, 1947

OFF. LlOYD W. WORTHY SEPTEMBER 2, 1967

OFF. ALVIN JOSEPH FREE SEPTEMBER 27, 1970

OFF. NOEL DON McGUIRE MAY 14, 1980

OFF. DAVID E. BARNETT FEBRUARY 13, 1991

OFF. HENRY CALLANEN MAY 15, 1993

OFF. JOSEPH T. FISHER FEBRUARY 7, 1995

OFFICER JACK COOPER FEBRUARY 2, 2002

Tags: Mark Knowles, William Copeland

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Thanks for honoring these police officers in this way.

Posted by plainjim on 05/14/2012 at 7:45 PM

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OFF. ALVIN JOSEPH FREE SEPTEMBER 27, 1970:

10/19/12 1:16 AMLRPD memorializes officers killed in line of duty | Arkansas Blog

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Bless you, Joe. Think of you every day. Hard to believe it's been 42 years. Which is exactly twice as many years as you lived. Later,dude.

Posted by Durango on 05/14/2012 at 8:19 PM

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Durango, Officer Free is one of the grave sites that has yet to be located. Any assistance would be great fully recieved.

Posted by RICH3RD on 05/14/2012 at 9:04 PM

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Call Lt. Hastings at (501) 371-4605 if anyone can help locating the sites of the listed officers that have NOT been located:

Samuel Neal McDermontt 09/03/1930

Harvey L Biggs 07/27/1924

Luther C Hay 07/26/1923

Charles Faulkner 07/13/1924

John W Cabiness 08/12/1922

Thomas D Hudson 08/19/1920

William I Campbell 04/18/1912

Alvin Joseph Free 09/27/1970

Posted by RICH3RD on 05/14/2012 at 9:13 PM

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This is a good thing that y'all are doing, and I -- just a regular citizen -- thank you for it. I knew Henry Callanen a little, but my late Dadknew him well. Super-nice guy who was gunned down by some punk at a McDonald's, if I recall correctly.

Posted by hugh mann on 05/14/2012 at 10:30 PM

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RICH3RD,

It’s been a very long time, so don’t hold me to this, but I believe Joe Free is resting in a rural southwestern Arkansas cemetery. Right orwrong about that, I have a friend who enjoys engaging in location projects like this, and I will ask her to assist. Be assured that either

she or I will call Lt. Hastings with any info that comes our way. What you guys are doing to keep alive the memory of these officers is muchappreciated.

Posted by Durango on 05/14/2012 at 10:38 PM

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Well, this is an honorable thing the officers are doing and I commend them for it. I'm quick to criticize any police department, and whenone of them goes astray I'm all over it, but I gotta admit, there is this big mural in the LRPD offices that says something to the effect of"Let us remember that we are all that stands between the community and anarchy", and I think about that every day.

I have no sympathy for those that are killed in police chases or do things that cause an officer for fire his weapon. Damnit man, when the lightscome up or the gun comes out, shut up, sit down or pull over and do what the man says. If you have done nothing wrong, then you got nothingto worry about. (I do realize that was not the case for many black citizens in the 60's).

So, hats off to those that lost their lives in the line of duty and to those that are working to see that they are remembered. Because of theirsacrifice I can live in a safe community.

Posted by towerdog on 05/15/2012 at 6:03 AM

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I am surprised by how many more officers were murdered before 1950. I suspect we were a more violent culture in the past, a thoughtthat goes against the grain of common belief. I have worked downtown for almost forty years. For some of the first twenty of thoseyears Henry Callanen was a presence downtown - wonderfully kind, gentle man.

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Posted by Reader on 05/15/2012 at 9:14 AM

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Maybe someone could search the archives of the Dem-Gaz for Officer Free's obituary. That should have a grave site mentioned.

Officer Cooper was one of my husband's best friends in high school. What a tragedy.

Posted by TCA on 05/15/2012 at 9:47 AM

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What the hell was going on around here in the 20's??

Posted by aaronreddin on 05/15/2012 at 11:58 AM

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Durango - I would suggest Rhonda at the Butler Center for Arkansas Studies.

Posted by Goof on 05/15/2012 at 1:00 PM

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RICH3RD,

Earlier today I left a voice message with Lt. Hastings, but in case something should fall between the cracks, I wanted you to have thefollowing information: We believe Joe Free is buried at Griffin Leggett-Rest Hills Funeral Home and Memorial Park in North Little Rock.

His pallbearers were LRPD Sgts. Leslie Gascot and J.B. Yancey and Patrolmen Jim Daley, Floyd Van Horn, Mike Bounds, and John Yancey, Jr. I’msure the folks at Griffin Leggett (501-835-3515) or any of the aforementioned officers, if they’re still around, could help with the precise locationof the grave.

Now that I know where Joe is, I will go out and pay my respects like you fellows are doing. Regret that I was out of the state at the time of hisdeath.

(Goof, thanks for the idea. My friend, Cara, came up with the info above this morning, but did not note where she got it. I'm curious and willinquire when next we talk.)

Posted by Durango on 05/15/2012 at 3:19 PM

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All of the fallen officers have been located. Some of these were family members coming forward. A special thanks goes out to April Goff,who works at the State Library. April spent several hours researching old news articles and was able to point us in the right direction.

Posted by RICH3RD on 05/16/2012 at 3:46 PM

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