Hezekiah E. Hires

Jacksonville Police Department — Jacksonville, FL

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch May 13, 1910

Age 37

Tour of Duty 10 mo

The Vigil Panel 24 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 32

Incident

Officer Hezekiah Hires was shot and killed after responding to assist another officer in making an arrest at 428 Bridge Street (present-day Broad Street) in Jacksonville. At 2:30 a.m., an officer was attempting to close down a bar that was operating after hours. When the owner refused to close down the establishment, the officer tried to arrest him. During the struggle, the owner's son fired at the officer, hitting his face and hand. The officer drew his weapon and returned fire, striking the owner and the owner's wife. The son fled the scene and hid. Officer Hires came to assist the officer after hearing gunfire. The son exited his hiding spot and shot Officer Hires in the back of the head at close range. The suspect was arrested, convicted of second-degree murder, and sentenced to life in prison. However, he was released prior to serving seven years. Officer Hires was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Jacksonville Police Department for 10 months. He was survived by his father, two brothers, and a sister. He is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Jacksonville, Florida.

Survivors

He was survived by his father, two brothers, and a sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-4A9383C3
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.
Officer Hires served with the Jacksonville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Jacksonville 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 Jacksonville Police Department

Location Jacksonville, FL

Platform Identity jpd.duval.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 13, 1910

Tour of Duty 10 mo

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Hezekiah E. Hires served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer Hezekiah E. Hires 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Jacksonville Police Department, 25 of 33 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75.8% of this agency's fallen.

Jacksonville Police Department

of 33 officers

75.8% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious