Faulkner County, Arkansas

          

To recognize Peace Officers Memorial Day local Police Officers, friends and families gathered to honor their fallen heroes at a memorial service at Simon Park yesterday.  May 12 is National Police Officers Memorial Day in conjunction with National Police Week.   Members of Conway Police Department, Faulkner County Sheriff's office and UCA Police Department were present. 

During 2009 there were 126 "fallen heroes" nationwide, of those Arkansas had three "fallen heroes".  Trumann Police Chief Larry Blagg was killed when he was struck by a fallen tree branch while assisting with cleanup efforts after a winter storm on January 27, 2009.   Plummerville Police Department Assistant Chief Joseph Cannon was shot and killed while making a traffic stop of a stolen vehicle on June 19, 2009. Van Buren County Sheriff's office Reserve Deputy Henry Willeford was struck by oncoming vehicle while trying to remove a deer from the roadway seven years ago.  He remained bedridden until succumbing to his injuries on November 6, 2009. 

As of today there are 61 "fallen heroes" for 2010, of those Arkansas has one "fallen hero" Jefferson County Sheriff's office Juvenile Detention officer Leonard Wall succumbed to injuries sustained when he was severely beaten by three Juvenile inmates at the Jack Jones Juvenile Justice Center. 

Also remembered were Faulkner County Deputy Oscar L. Honea who was killed by gunfire on October 10, 1914; Faulkner County Deputy William E. Hathaway who was killed by gunfire on August 5, 1931; Conway Police officer Robert W. "Bob" Martin was killed as a result of gunfire while investigating a homicide on March 24, 1981; Conway Police officer Barry Kent McDaniel was killed as a result of a vehicular assault while directing traffic after a tornado hit the Conway area on April 2, 1982; Conway Police officer Lawrence Ray Noblitt was killed as a result of gunfire while investigating the theft of farm equipment on November 7, 1988; Faulkner County Detective Jimmy "Jim" Darrel Wooley died as a result of a fall while investigating a theft on August 5, 2003.  County Judge Preston Scroggin and Mayor Tab Townsell delivered the proclamation of the day.