Law enforcement officers from the Oak Ridge Police Department and Anderson County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies honor Peace Officer Memorial Day on Thursday.
Eight new Oak Ridge police officers were sworn in, two were promoted, and many were honored with new awards during a Peace Officer Memorial Day ceremony on Wednesday.
The annual May 15 ceremony is part of National Police Week, and it pays tribute to local, state, and federal peace officers, including those who died on the job.
Oak Ridge Police Chief Jim Akagi said more than 20,000 officers have died while working since 1792, and on average, one is killed every 57 hours.
Last year, 127 died, and so far this year, 50 have been killed.
“Your unsung work is what binds us all together,” Akagi told several dozen officers gathered outside the Oak Ridge Municipal Building on a warm, sunny Wednesday afternoon.
Anderson County Sheriff Paul White said seven county law enforcement officers have been killed since 1904, six by gunfire and one in an accident.
Several hundred people attended Wednesday’s ceremony, which included a swearing-in as well as a promotions and awards ceremony in the Municipal Building Courtroom.
Akagi awarded new letters of commendation to officers who had acted courageously or selflessly. He also awarded two distinguished service awards and a life-saving award. It’s also the first time those awards have been presented.
Akagi promoted Bill Weaver to Oak Ridge Police Department detective, and John Hill was promoted to sergeant.
The letters of commendation were awarded for acts that included:
- persuading a man to come down from a ledge at the Methodist Medical Center after he threatened to jump;
- tracking and arresting two suspects who had fled into a steep, heavily wooded hillside near Chestnut Road;
- saving a $300,000 U.S. Department of Energy grant used to fund five police officers through 2016;
- finding a woman who got lost while hiking in the wood near Outer Drive and Delaware Avenue;
- investigating a case involving stolen prescriptions where evidence was found hidden in a pharmacy ceiling;
- helping the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration dismantle a cocaine distribution network that was importing about 20 pounds of cocaine per month into Knox and Anderson counties; and
- rescuing a horse that had become trapped in a horse trailer with a leg that was possibly broken.
The life-saving award was given to officers who helped pull an unconscious man from a burning vehicle on Irene Lane.
The Distinguished Service Awards were presented to Lt. Don Johnson, who delayed his retirement to work on department accreditation, and ORPD Deputy Chief Alan Massengill.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
Andrew Howe says
Awesome!
Sometimes good deeds do get rewarded! Keep up the great work serving and protecting.
Now back to our usual programming…
how many officers do we now have in the ORPD? Did we lose 2 and get grant for 6, so we just hired 8? Or did we just add 8 to our number, 6 of which will be paid for by the grant?
And when the grant ends will the six slots get laid off if it doesn’t get renewed? And if that happens, will the city be paying them pensions forever, or is the pension funding part of the grant?
My point is, we have a LOT of police in Oak Ridge for the size of our population. And we know from very recent history that we pay for them even after they leave here. And we’ve not always been the most fiscally responsible of cities to begin with.
Hey, John. Since I seem to be one of the main people asking a ton of follow-up questions on your articles, maybe you should shoot them my way first so you can include the answers.
😉
johnhuotari says
Chief Akagi said earlier this month that the ORPD patrol is fully staffed, with 41 of 61 officers assigned to patrol.
Oak Ridge has had the DOE grant for several years. Akagi said it was in trouble last year, and Sgt. Shannah Newman and Officer Karen Jenkins helped save it. It has been used to fund or help fund five officers. I’m not certain of this, but I think part of the arrangement is that the police make DOE patrols, including on Bethel Valley Road near ORNL.
Sorry, but I don’t have information about what will happen in 2016. I think a lot could change between now and then, and perhaps the grant could be renewed again.
Jason Hermassa says
Was the Chief wearing his dress cape ?