Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Johnnie Spinks succumbed to injuries sustained several days earlier when he fell while on duty at a street festival marking the city's Centennial celebration on October 24th, 1970. He struck his head on a vehicle bumper when he fell, causing a fatal head injury. Chief Spinks was a WWII veteran and had served with the Vidalia Police Department for 6-1/2 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, three sons, daughter, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-LA-FCA33EFB- 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.
Chief of Police Spinks gave the Vidalia Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Vidalia 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Johnnie Lee "Bud" Spinks served in the Army (1941â1943) before joining law enforcement.
Chief of Police Johnnie Lee "Bud" Spinks is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In LA, 180 of 595 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Vidalia Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Johnnie Lee "Bud" Spinks's cause is highlighted.
How Johnnie Lee "Bud" Spinks Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Johnnie Lee "Bud" Spinks is highlighted in Nov.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Vidalia Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
