Joe Douglas Spiers

Gulfport Police Department — Gulfport, MS

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 21, 1971

Age 23

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 5 mo

The Vigil Panel 109 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 7

Incident

Patrolman Joe Spiers was shot and killed by a female prisoner he and another officer were transporting to jail. The prisoner had been arrested by the other officer that morning for drunk driving. Officer Spiers had responded to the scene to drive to the subject's car to the police station. After administering field sobriety tests at the station they began to transport the woman to jail. Approximately one block from the station the officer driving the car looked back and observed the woman holding a pistol. The woman had been handcuffed in the front because of her large size and was able to conceal the weapon on her person while being arrested. She shot Patrolman Spiers, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, in the head. After a brief struggle the woman was subdued. Patrolman Spiers was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wounds during surgery later that evening. The subject plead guilty to murder and was sentenced to life in prison. Patrolman Spiers was a U.S. Navy veteran and had been awarded two Purple Heart medals during a tour in Vietnam.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife, mother, two sisters, and four brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MS-6CB0A775
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Joe is one person.

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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.
Patrolman Spiers gave the Gulfport Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Gulfport 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 Gulfport Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Gulfport, Harrison County, MS

Platform Identity gpd.harrison.ms.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 21, 1971

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 5 mo

Age 23

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Joe Douglas Spiers served in the U.S. Navy (1968â1969) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Joe Douglas Spiers is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In MS, 242 of 349 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.3% of this state's fallen. That is 69.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Gulfport Police Department, 6 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Gulfport Police Department

of 8 officers

75% Felonious

MS — Statewide

242

of 349 officers

69.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious