Huntsville Police Department honors 12 fallen officers
Published on October 15, 2021
The Huntsville Police Department (HPD) hosted its annual Fallen Officer Memorial Service on Friday, Oct. 15, to recognize 12 of its officers who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their community. The event was held in honor of National Police Week, which was rescheduled to Oct. 13-17 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chief Mark McMurray and Command Staff honored HPD’s fallen officers along with the Huntsville Police Citizens Foundation, Mayor Tommy Battle, Huntsville City Council members and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Prim F. Escalona.
“Although no ceremony or memorial will ever ease the pain the survivors of these fallen officers feel, we hope this service fills their hearts knowing their hero will never be forgotten,” Chief McMurray said.
HPD’s Fallen Officer Memorial was built by the Huntsville Police Citizens Foundation, a nonprofit funded by a diverse group of citizens and businesses in the community. The foundation provides immediate assistance to families of HPD officers during emergencies.
Below is a list of the 12 HPD officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.
- Officer William J. Street – End of Watch, Monday, Oct. 8, 1883
- Officer Frank McKissack – End of Watch, Friday, May 26, 1916
- Officer Ewell B. Starr – End of Watch, Saturday, Dec. 5, 1953
- Officer Alan S. Logel, Jr. – End of Watch, Monday, Nov. 19, 1956
- Officer Charles E. Drake, Jr. – End of Watch, Monday, July 23, 1962
- Officer Preston R. Butler – End of Watch, Friday, June 3, 1966
- Officer William T. Gaskin – End of Watch, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 1968
- Officer Billy Fred Clardy, Jr. – End of Watch, Wednesday, May 3, 1978
- Officer Daniel Howard Golden – End of Watch, Monday, Aug. 29, 2005
- Officer William Eric Freeman – End of Watch, Saturday, Dec. 15, 2007
- Officer Keith O’Neal Earle – End of Watch, Monday, April 9, 2018
- Agent Billy Fred Clardy III – End of Watch, Friday, Dec. 6, 2019
