Officer Danita Marsh: Marsh was attacked as she assisted domestic violence victim Danielle McDowell on the morning of Oct. 27, 2006. As the two women talked in Marsh's marked police car, McDowell's boyfriend, convicted murderer Willie Lindsey, ambushed them by opening fire with two guns. Although critically wounded, Marsh was able to fire two rounds in defense of McDowell and herself.
Ben McCoy & Truman Stubblefield: Emergency Medical Technicians Ben McCoy and Truman Stubblefield were on their way to work on the morning of Oct. 27, 2006, when they saw suspect Willie Lindsey inside Officer Danita Marsh's police car. They felt that something just didn't look right, turned around, and came back. As they did, they saw McDowell's brother and Lindsey fighting in the front yard. Without regard for their own safety, these two men rushed to the scene, where they found Marsh bleeding and critically injured in the police car and Danielle wounded and bleeding in the front yard. McCoy and Stubblefield immediately gave first aid to the women and worked to control the bleeding while ambulances rushed to the scene.
Sgt. James Johnson and Officer Joe Shelton: On the morning Marsh was shot, police helicopter pilot Sgt. James Johnson and canine Officer Joe Shelton were called to support the pursuit of the gunman.
Johnson loaded Shelton and police dog Memphis into the back of a helicopter and took off in a driving rainstorm. They flew to Benton County and, from the air, saw the gunman trying to speed away from pursing officers. The suspect crashed and fled on foot toward a nearby pond. Johnson maneuvered the helicopter between power lines and, although he couldn't land on the hilly terrain, placed one skid on the ground. That allowed Shelton and Memphis to get out of the helicopter. The gunman swam to the middle of the pond. Shelton and Memphis also entered the water and took the suspect into custody.
Jim Hill, Larry Graham & Steve Berk: Upon learning of Marsh's injuries, Jim Hill, who operates the Nashville Palace, came up with the idea of a benefit concert and auction to assist Marsh with her housing and transportation needs. Larry Graham from Ferlin Huskey Enterprises joined the effort by securing a number of autographed guitars and merchandise from country music superstars for the auction. Steve Berk of the Tennessee Titans secured autographed footballs and other team items for the auction and served as co-host of the benefit. This event was held on Dec. 5 and netted $31,000.
Ron Phillips & Officer Dennis Hamm: Last October, a life skills student at Croft Middle School began choking and was unable to speak. The student's lips, face, and body began to turn bluish gray in color and she began losing consciousness.
Hamm was summoned to the cafeteria and, with the assistance of campus security representative Ron Phillips, began working to clear the student's airway. Thanks to their quick actions, a piece of food was dislodged and the student was unharmed.
Dennis Orman, Herbert Crowson, Donald Wilson & Evellyn McClendon: These citizens, all in their 70s, were leaving a Cracker Barrel restaurant when a would-be robber attacked one of their friends. Orman, Crowson and Wilson sprang into action, grabbed the robber, slammed him against a parked car and held him until police officers arrived. McClendon grabbed the suspect's long hair, twisted it and held on to ensure that he wouldn't try to escape. The man they were holding had been charged with 89 criminal offenses over the past 23 years.
Pastor Michael Joyner: Joyner of the Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church was one of the first ministers to answer the police department's call for volunteer chaplains who would respond to death scenes and assist in the notification of relatives. Over the past year, Joyner has made more than 20 death notifications and offered comfort to grieving family members. Joyner has also worked closely with the police department to hold community forums in an effort to curb teenage violent crime.
Nancy Sisongkham: When she found a wallet containing $67 dollars on the school bus while en route to Apollo Middle School, she realized that it didn't belong to anyone she knew. Determined to find the rightful owner, she enlisted the help of Apollo's principal and school resource officer. It was soon determined the wallet belonged to an Antioch High School student who had ridden the bus earlier. The wallet was returned to its rightful owner, who was happy because it also contained his only picture of his deceased father.
Earl Jordan: Jordan is the founder and president of Partners in the Struggle, a non-profit organization formed nine years ago to support families whose loved ones have been murdered. In addition to working with families, Jordan conducts community awareness events and rallies throughout the year that condemn gun violence.
Evelyn Sue Botts & Donna Maria Moreland: As they drove into the parking lot of 100 Oaks, Botts and Moreland saw two men breaking into a car. The criminals caused considerable damage to the vehicle as they stole a stereo system and speakers. These women watched the suspects and recorded the license plate number on the getaway van. They later identified the suspects from photo lineups and testified against them in court. The successful prosecution of the car burglars would not have been possible without their assistance.
Jason Corbitt: Corbitt was in a downtown restaurant when an employee who had just been fired became disorderly, started throwing things, assaulted another employee and fled. Corbitt called police on his cell phone and chased the assailant, who tried to hide in the bushes. Officers took the man into custody.
Hamel Patel: Last December, Hermitage officers came upon a van with an out-of-state license plate on the side of Lebanon Road. The driver was 70 years old and had driven to Nashville for cancer treatment. He did not have the money for a motel room and was going to spend the night in the van, despite temperatures in the teens. The officers drove to the Hermitage Inn and intended to rent the man a room. However, when manager Hamel Patel heard of the cancer patient's plight, he directed the officers to bring him to the motel, where he was provided with a complimentary room. Patel's kindness brought a vulnerable senior citizen out of the bitter cold and may have even saved his life.
Sam Hufstedler: Hufstedler was in a downtown parking lot last September when he saw a man breaking into a vehicle. He confronted the suspect, tackled him, and held him in a headlock until Central Precinct officers arrived. A survey of the parking lot showed six other vehicles that had been burglarized by the suspect.
Keith Lillard: Lillard was working at an Eighth Avenue restaurant when he saw a man breaking into a car across the street. Lillard yelled at the burglar, who bolted and ran with his hands full of stolen items. Keith chased the suspect for nearly a mile and was instrumental in his capture. Not only had the suspect broken into four vehicles on Eighth Avenue, he was also wanted on three outstanding warrants.
Susan Barry and Detective Jim Lambert: The quick response of Barry and Lambert to a critical car crash saved the life of a 4-year-old girl. Barry and Lambert, in separate vehicles, drove up on a serious two-car collision on Gallatin Pike. The 4-year-old had been thrown through a windshield and wasn't breathing. Using medical training from her days as a special needs teacher, and his first aid training as a police officer, Barry and Lambert quickly began CPR on the child. She handled the chest compressions while he handled respirations. As a result of their efforts, the girl began breathing again.
Richard Woods and Betty Alden: As a North Precinct officer attempted to arrest a teenager on outstanding warrants in front of Woods' dry cleaning business, the teen resisted and began fighting the officer. Woods saw the teen try to wrestle away the officer's gun and immediately ran to help the policeman. As he did, he yelled for his assistant, Alden, to phone 911. The actions of these two citizens provided the advantage needed to defuse a potentially life-threatening situation.
Lamar Advertising Inc., Joe McDowell (VP and general manager) and detectives Tim Griffin and Victoria Foster: During last year's search for accused child rapist Jeremy Duffer, Tim Griffin of Lamar Advertising approached the police department and offered the use of Lamar billboards to display the photos of wanted fugitives. Within a matter of days, Duffer's picture appeared above Nashville's roadways.
Since Duffer's capture, a number of other Nashville fugitives have been featured by Lamar, thanks to the assistance of Victoria Foster. The company even selects billboard locations based on police department recommendations of where the displays will do the most good.
Steve Hritz, Rockwood Police Department & Garry Kerley, Roane County Sheriff's Office: Between February and July of last year, Metro police officers and the community as a whole were on the lookout for accused child rapist Jeremy Duffer, who removed his electronic bracelet and jumped bail.
Hritz and Kerley interviewed Duffer at the carnival. For 45 minutes, he claimed to be someone else, but these officers didn't believe him. Because of their initiative and outstanding police work, Duffer's identity was eventually confirmed that night and he was taken to jail.
Detective David Achord: Achord was posing as a Dominos pizza deliveryman and was making a high-risk delivery at a South Nashville apartment complex when he was confronted by a 14-year-old armed robber who demanded his belongings. As Achord dropped the insulated pizza container and started to yell that he was a police officer, the teenager began shooting. He fired nine shots in the apartment complex breezeway. Achord took cover and returned the fire. The teen was wounded in the leg, was tried as an adult, and received a 17-year prison sentence. Achord was not injured.
Ellsworth was on the scene of a domestic disturbance between two brothers on the upper level of a West Nashville home when one of them suddenly pulled a handgun and shot the other. Ellsworth, who was standing in close proximity to the gunman, returned the fire, and assisted the wounded brother downstairs to safety.
McDaniel assisted in negotiating with the suspect and eventually persuaded him to surrender his pistol. McDaniel also rendered aid to the mother of the two men, who fainted on the lower story of the house.
Officer John Donegan: A woman was attempting to pull herself over the guardrail on the Jefferson Street Bridge. Donegan reached the woman before she could harm herself and detained her until medical help arrived.
Lt. Benjamin Rodgers: Rodgers broke down the door of a burning home, crawling on his stomach through heavy, thick, black smoke to reach a man who lay unconscious on the floor. Rodgers pulled the man from the burning house. Because of Rodger's fearless actions, the man made a full recovery.
Officers Stephen Haines and Larry Carter: Haines and Carter approached a man who was preparing to jump off the Broadway Street overpass onto Interstate 40. Carter engaged the man in conversation while Haines approached from behind. When both officers were in position, they sprung to action, and quickly pulled the man to safety.
Officer Larry Benz: A man was hanging by one hand from the railing of the Victory Memorial Bridge when Officer Benz grabbed him and held on as the man struggled to free himself from the officer's grasp. Despite great personal risk, Benz maintained his grip, until help arrived and the man was secured.
Detective Jeffrey Tharpe: On Christmas Eve, Tharpe's 2-month-old grandson began choking and stopped breathing. Tharpe remained calm throughout the ordeal, giving his grandson back blows in an attempt to dislodge anything that might be blocking the baby's airway. Tharpe then began CPR until his grandchild began breathing again.
Officer Mark Anderson: Anderson's superior police work in several significant cases led to the arrests of armed robbery and kidnapping suspects and to the recovery of weapons, drugs, and stolen vehicles. Anderson is a leader in his unit who requires little supervision and goes well beyond what is expected of him on a daily basis.
Officer Jason Mayo: During a pursuit of two armed robbery/kidnapping suspects, Mayo remained poised when the suspects fired shots at him near an apartment complex. Understanding that there were innocent people in the area, he made wide tactical sweeps to avoid a direct confrontation with the suspects, while continuing to update arriving backup units and dispatch. Mayo learned that the two men were hiding inside an apartment; they were apprehended after a short standoff.
Officer Mark Bennett: While working off-duty at a Burger King on Gallatin Pike, Bennett recognized the business was about to be robbed by two masked gunmen. He immediately notified dispatch about a robbery in progress while signaling to customers to exit the restaurant. Bennett did not confront the gunmen, but pursued them after they fled the Burger King. Thanks to Bennett's heads-up police work, the two suspects were quickly apprehended without injury to others.
Lt. Floyd Hyde: Hyde developed a remarkable Election Security Plan for Iraqi nationals who voted for that nation's Parliament in December 2005. A tremendous amount of time and expertise went into ensuring safe elections for the Iraqi people in Nashville. Hyde's plan was so well regarded that it was adopted by other U.S. cities and 13 foreign countries.
Officer Justin Pachciarz: Drug dealers, two homicide suspects, and a serial car thief are just a few of the outstanding arrests by Pachciarz. His work ethic and attention to detail enables Pachciarz to often lead his detail in arrests and traffic stops.
Bike Unit Officers Morris and Falcone formed a rare partnership that resulted in the arrests of known gang members and drug dealers. Their tireless efforts greatly improved the quality of life in the Edgehill community. From February 2006 to January 2007, Morris and Falcone arrested more than 280 persons, involving 43 felonies and 305 misdemeanors and seized 213 grams of cocaine, 266 grams of marijuana, three vehicles, and $60,000 cash.
Recently Retired Sergeant Phillip Sage: Sage was shot in the line of duty in 1981 resulting in a permanent disability. He returned to work as soon as doctors would allow it and was assigned to the evidence storage section. He dedicated 24 years of service to the property room where he was instrumental in numerous advancements including the transition from log books to the current TraQ software. Sage retired after 35 years of service to the police department.
Officers Doug Bell and James King: Bell and King are credited with several outstanding arrests including the apprehension of armed robbery and kidnapping suspects.
Officer Timothy Reid: A string of cases were solved thanks to the proactive efforts of Reid. Examples include the arrest of four armed robbery suspects and a drug bust that led to the seizure of 500 Ecstasy pills, $3,800 cash, and the arrests of the dealer and buyer.
Officer Cedric Connolly: Connolly's outstanding community policing skills were cited. His involvement in several cases led to the arrests of three armed robbers and a dangerous gang member who had five outstanding criminal homicide warrants.
Larry Farnow and Lorita Marsh: South Nashvillians and police officers alike were shocked at last year's slayings of Lori Rountree and her 16-year-old daughter, Adrian, inside their Antioch home.
Police Department fingerprint experts Farnow and Marsh worked for days meticulously analyzing the prints recovered from the scene. Thanks to their behind-the-scenes work, a bloody print was matched to a 16-year-old illegal immigrant, who had been arrested months earlier at the U.S.-Mexico border.
Officer Bill Kirby & Lorita Marsh: Last December, two masked armed robbers entered the AM-PM Discount Tobacco market in Madison and killed the two clerks and critically wounded a customer.
Identification Officer Kirby spent hours at the crime scene and in the police department's lab processing evidence. His meticulous work on the cash drawer resulted in the discovery of a fingerprint for further analysis.
Working with the police department's fingerprint computer, analyst Marsh positively identified the person who left the fingerprint. Those efforts led to the arrests of the three persons believed to be responsible for the killings less than 24 hours after they occurred. Arrested were two teenagers and a 20-year-old.
Officers Eric Taylor, Brian Gregory, Ryan Lockwood and Andrew Kooshian: These four officers worked for hours to arrest an intoxicated and despondent gunman who had assaulted his sister.
They were just a few feet from the gunman inside his home and tirelessly attempted to convince him to surrender. During the negotiations, the suspect talked of shooting the officers in an apparent effort to convince them to use deadly force against him.
These officers ultimately deployed a Taser. Just as they did, the suspect fired a shot from his pistol. Despite the gunfire, the officers relied on the Taser to take the gunman safely into custody and without injury to anyone.
Officer Joel Rowney: In one month, Rowney's policing led to the seizure of three firearms and a reduced number of armed robberies in the North Precinct. Two of the recovered weapons had been in the hands of convicted armed robbers. Officer Rowney also played an important role in the arrest of individuals who were involved in selling illegal drugs.
Officer Richard Clark: While investigating a residential burglary in which several guns were stolen from a locked safe, Clark remembered an earlier report about two juveniles who were seen with a shotgun. Clark's investigation led to the juveniles admitting involvement in the burglary and the return of the weapons to their owner.
Officer Jeffrey Bauer: A mother and her three children were unaware that an arsonist had set fire to their home. Bauer saw flames leaping from the front of the residence and also from the back deck which had been saturated with gasoline. Without hesitation, Bauer pounded on the front door, awakened the family, and escorted them safely out of the burning home.
Officer Robert Collins & Police Dog Shrek: Collins and Shrek were searching a field for a gun used in a murder when Collins spotted a man matching the description of the killer. After Collins took the suspect into custody, he continued to look for the murder weapon well past the end of his shift. The next day, Collins, believing the gun was there, brought Shrek back to the scene and was successful in locating the weapon.
Officer Cindy Huffines: Huffines police work played a major role in the capture of three armed robbery suspects. Those arrests cleared ten robberies in the Hermitage area and got dangerous criminals off the streets before they could victimize someone else.
Officer Gerald Gomes: Diligent patrol tactics and solid investigative techniques led to the discovery of a drug house in a school zone. Gomes obtained consent to search the home and officers seized 40 grams of cocaine, .5 grams of marijuana, two handguns, and drug paraphernalia. Gomes obtained 12 warrants on the two people arrested, including a fugitive from justice warrant.
Officer Eric Mumaw: Mumaw was conducting surveillance at a gas station when he saw an SUV suddenly exit the parking lot. A man screamed that his vehicle had been stolen with his infant son still inside the SUV. Mumaw pursued the stolen vehicle until it ran off the road. The suspect was arrested a short time later and the baby, unharmed, was reunited with his father.
Officer Leon Taylor: Taylor's keen memory and attention to detail led to the identification of a robbery suspect. Taylor was involved in the arrest of a burglar when he realized the suspect matched the description of a man who robbed a pharmacy some two weeks before the burglary arrest. Taylor arranged a photo line up in which the victim identified the suspect as the robber.
Officer Mark Webb: Outstanding police work by Webb got a murder suspect off the streets of Nashville. A 51-year-old man had been stabbed to death and after failing to locate the suspect nearby, Webb expanded his search. A short time later, he recognized the suspect in the courtyard of the rescue mission and took him into custody.
Lt. Andrea Swisher: After a woman's abusive boyfriend was arrested, it was clear that she would need counseling and other assistance. Swisher called the victim daily, referred her to a shelter, brought her meals, and even transported her to court dates.
Officer Gerald Hyder: Hyder's impressive Gang Unit power-point presentation has been recognized by professionals within the criminal justice field as an outstanding tool in educating lawmakers and citizens about combating gang violence. Hyder worked tirelessly on the presentation including during his unpaid-off-duty time. The result is a high-quality product that reflects very well on the Gang Unit and on the department as a whole.
Officer Al Whitworth: An 18-year-veteran, Whitworth's dedication to catching the bad guys continues to impress. In a single year, Whitworth's penchant for running vehicle tags on and off the stolen vehicle “hot sheet”, while still attending to his regular patrol duties, led to the recovery of 27 stolen vehicles and the arrest of 12 individuals involved in those thefts.
Officer James Pearce: Pearce's perseverance in attempting to serve a woman with an outstanding warrant on gun and drug charges, led to the arrest of a murder suspect. Pearce knocked on the woman's door and although no one answered, he could clearly see two people hiding inside the residence. Pearce called for backup and when officers entered the apartment, they found 18-year-old David Cason who was wanted in the murder of a 22-year-old man.
Officer Josh Black: Even though he complied with an armed robber's demands, a man was shot in front of his sister on Christmas Eve. Josh Black recognized a description of the robbery suspect's jacket from a traffic stop he had made earlier on the same day. Just two days later, Black stopped the same vehicle, this time he took the suspect into custody.
Officer Russell Ward: A man, depressed because his mother was seriously ill, was standing on the edge of the roof of a seven story hotel contemplating taking his own life. Ward arrived and calmly took action, sending the hotel manager back to ground level to direct other responding units to Ward's location. Ward built a rapport with the man, ultimately convincing him to come back inside the hotel.
Detective Nathan Clark: Clark led the investigation into a pharmacist accused of dispensing prescription painkillers to women in return for sexual favors. Thanks to Clark's tireless efforts, the pharmacy was shut down and the pharmacist charged with dispensing drugs illegally.
Officer Bridget Griepentrog: Griepentrog's attention to detail led to the capture of a dangerous robbery suspect. She turned her police cruiser around to get a better look at a tag on a suspicious vehicle when the driver suddenly pulled into a driveway and claimed he was lost. Griepentrog verified his identity and arrested him on an outstanding warrant. Further investigation revealed he was a person of interest in a homicide case and in a string of Waffle House robberies.
Police Crisis Counselor Kim Page: A domestic violence victim, depressed over her situation, left a suicidal voicemail message for Police Crisis Counselor Kim Page. Page retrieved the number of a pay phone from her caller ID and gave it to Goodlettsville police. Page called the distressed woman and while juggling two phone lines at once, kept in constant contact with Goodlettsville police until officers were able to locate the woman.
Officer Jeff Biggerstaff: Biggerstaff shows great initiative in his daily work serving 124 warrants in 2006 while attempting to serve an additional 186 warrants.
During that time, Biggerstaff worked past the end of his shift in order to apprehend one of the North Precinct's Top 10 and likely prevented a homicide when he arrested a man who had two loaded shotguns and admitted he was on his way to kill a man.
Investigators developed a palm print belonging to a potential suspect while looking for evidence at a Hermitage Waffle House. Fingerprint analyst Wilson confirmed the identity of the man who left the print. Those efforts led to surveillance and investigative efforts by a number of police department components.
This is cache, read story here
