Herbert D. Copeland

Brunswick Police Department — Brunswick, GA

Felonious

End of Watch March 11, 1956

Age 54

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

The Vigil Panel 91 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Officer Copeland was shot and killed when he and his partner responded to a report of a domestic disturbance. When they arrived on the scene they encountered a man holding a shotgun. Officer Copeland rolled down his window and told the man that he was a good man and that he wanted to talk to him. The suspect lowered the shotgun. When he heard the police radio report that backup was on its way he raised the gun again and opened fire, killing Officer Copeland and seriously wounding his partner. The suspect was apprehended by a state trooper near Blackshear after a chase that reached 100 miles per hour at times. On May 24, 1956, the suspect, 35, was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison. Officer Copeland had been with the agency for 21 years.

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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

22 years. You could have gone home.
Officer Copeland gave the Brunswick Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Brunswick community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Copeland.

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

Agency

Department Brunswick Police Department

Location Brunswick, GA

Platform Identity bpd.glynn.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 11, 1956

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Age 54

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Sentenced to 20 years

Officer Herbert D. Copeland 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Brunswick Police Department, 6 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 85.7% of this agency's fallen.

Brunswick Police Department

of 7 officers

85.7% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious