John H. Perkey

Knoxville Police Department — Knoxville, TN

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch December 8, 1967

Age 25

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 103 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 16

Incident

Patrol Officer John Perkey was killed in an automobile crash while he and his partner pursued a speeder around 1:30 a.m. While traveling on Severvielle Pike, their patrol car slid on a wet spot in the road, causing them to lose control and hit a tree. Officer Perkey was thrown from the vehicle and killed. The driver sustained minor injuries. Officer Perkey was a U.S Army veteran and served with the Knoxville Police Department for three years.

Survivors

Survivors include his wife, parents, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-1C9ADA4D
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. Army. One record, 2 gates. John 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.
Patrol Officer Perkey gave the Knoxville Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Knoxville 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 Knoxville Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Knoxville, Knox County, TN

Platform Identity kpd.knox.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 8, 1967

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Weapon Not available

Military Service

John H. Perkey served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrol Officer John H. Perkey is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In TN, 191 of 769 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 24.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Knoxville Police Department, 4 of 17 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.5% of this agency's fallen.

Knoxville Police Department

of 17 officers

23.5% Accident

TN — Statewide

191

of 769 officers

24.8% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident