Clarence Purvis Cox, Jr.

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch May 12, 1981

Age 53

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Badge 99

The Vigil Panel 124 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 93

Incident

Lieutenant Clarence Cox was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect who was wanted for escape and for the murder of a priest. He had encountered the subject near the intersection of N Lauderdale Street and Exchange Avenue and attempted to take him into custody. The suspect was able to gain control of Lieutenant Cox's service weapon and shoot him with it. The man was later arrested in Jackson, Tennessee. He was sentenced to death but later murdered in prison by other death row inmates. Lieutenant Cox was a United States Navy veteran and had served with the Memphis Police Department for 22 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-0789430F
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Lieutenant Cox gave the Memphis Police Department 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Memphis Police Department

Location Memphis, TN

Platform Identity mpd.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 12, 1981

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Age 53

Badge Number 99

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Killed in prison

Military Service

Clarence Purvis Cox, Jr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Lieutenant Clarence Purvis Cox, Jr. is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Memphis Police Department, 53 of 94 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 56.4% of this agency's fallen.

Memphis Police Department

of 94 officers

56.4% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious