Incident
Patrolman Charles Harrison was killed in a motorcycle crash on I-240 approximately one half-mile east of the Airways exit. Patrolman Harrison was in stopped traffic when he observed a patrol car and a motorcycle officer pulled to the side of the road on a traffic stop. The officers had an intoxicated man stopped. As Patrolman Harrison made his way through the traffic the vehicle in front of him jammed on its breaks, causing Patrolman Harrison to strike it. When he hit the car Patrolman Harrison and his motorcycle were thrown into the air. Patrolman Harrison fell to the ground and his motorcycle landed on top of him. A passing doctor stopped to help Patrolman Harrison. He was transported to Baptist Hospital where he died from his injuries. Patrolman Harrison had served with the Memphis Police for almost 15 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, daughter, son, three step-daughters, and his parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtmz3cdckrwv9en2rs7yd- 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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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Harrison gave the Memphis Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Harrison.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Accident
Memphis Police Department has lost 94 officers; 25 of them lost to accidents.
Charles is one of 191 officers lost to accidents in TN, 24.8% of the 769 remembered there.
Charles is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Charles is one of 10,100 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.8% of the 33,917 remembered here.
33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1982, 1 officer at Memphis Police Department was lost to accidents, the 3rd heaviest of 22 years on record. The heaviest was 1920, with 3.
In 1982, 2 officers in TN were lost to accidents, the 25th heaviest of 99 years on record. The heaviest was 2000, with 6.
In 1982, 70 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 48th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1982, 87 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, the 43rd heaviest of 200 years on record. The heaviest was 1930, with 131.
Who
Charles was 37. Of the 22 lost to accidents at Memphis Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 25.3 and 36.8; the middle age was 31.5. Charles had served 14.9 years; the middle length of service was 4 years.
Charles was 37. Of the 183 lost to accidents in TN whose age is recorded, half were between 30.5 and 49; the middle age was 38. Charles had served 14.9 years; the middle length of service was 7 years.
Charles was 37. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Charles had served 14.9 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Charles was 37. Of the 9,451 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. Charles had served 14.9 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
May holds 8% of these deaths at Memphis Police Department; November holds the most, 16%. Thursdays: 12%.
May holds 11% of these deaths in TN; September holds the most, 11.5%. Thursdays: 11.5%.
May holds 8.6% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Thursdays: 14%.
May holds 8.4% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Thursdays: 14.2%.
How
Accident deaths account for 26.6% of all 94 deaths at Memphis Police Department, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 24.8% of all 769 deaths in TN, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.8% of all 33,917 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
Memphis Police Department has 94 officers remembered here, Charles among them.
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W. Stith Tucker May 5, 1860
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John W. Causey Dec 31, 1861
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W. C. Stockham Feb 22, 1865
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William Mower Mar 1, 1866
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John Stevens May 1, 1866
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John M. Claridge Apr 24, 1867
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Walter M. Rogers Jun 4, 1867
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John M. Fenton Dec 31, 1867
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John Gear Mar 13, 1868
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James Somers Perry Jun 12, 1868
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Darwin J. Finch Mar 8, 1869
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John Regan Jul 13, 1870
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James McConnell Aug 12, 1878
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Michael Cannon Aug 22, 1878
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William Unverzagt Aug 24, 1878
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Patrick Ryder Aug 26, 1878
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Morrison M. Allison Aug 31, 1878
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John J. Huber Sep 2, 1878
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Charles R. Staley Sep 10, 1878
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Timothy Hope
Sep 17, 1878
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William M. Homan Sep 25, 1878
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Reuben C. Manuel Oct 14, 1878
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Rufus Chalmers Parkinson
Nov 2, 1894
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Joseph A. Perkins
Jul 17, 1900
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Robert C. Jameson
Oct 17, 1904
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W. Edwin Miller
Feb 10, 1907
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John H. Ryan
Mar 19, 1910
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John M. Taylor
Jun 22, 1912
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Andrew Jackson
Jan 14, 1914
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Julius S. Brett Aug 30, 1915
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Edward T. Broadfoot
Feb 23, 1918
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Felix Allen
Oct 8, 1918
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Andrew Lycurgus White
Apr 13, 1919
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John C. Brinkley
Jun 13, 1919
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Guy Sydney Saint
Jan 7, 1920
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Victor Louis Zambroni Mar 23, 1920
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James Sidney Holmes
Sep 21, 1920
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James J. McNeill
Dec 22, 1920
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Polk Alonzo Caraway
Aug 10, 1921
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Vincent Nicholas Lucarini
Aug 10, 1921
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James Alonzo Bell
Sep 2, 1921
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Presley Thornton Fleet
Nov 3, 1921
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Jesse P. Wooten Feb 21, 1922
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Charles F. Stevens
Aug 4, 1923
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T. B. Hindman Knox
Apr 5, 1925
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Harry Clemmons Elmore Jul 28, 1926
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Willis Riley Bridges
Apr 20, 1929
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Walter H. McEwen
Dec 30, 1929
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Charles J. Redders, Sr.
Nov 8, 1931
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Roy A. Scott
Feb 20, 1936
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George W. Ham
Feb 27, 1936
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Charles C. Musick
Jul 2, 1937
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John Cannon Jun 30, 1939
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James E. Walker
Apr 12, 1952
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Joseph Palazolla
Nov 30, 1959
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Frank Bruno, Jr.
Oct 7, 1960
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Morris E. White
Nov 20, 1963
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James E. Harper, Jr.
Feb 12, 1964
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Dennis J. Jobe
Sep 22, 1970
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Michael D. Wright, Jr.
Sep 9, 1972
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David Wayne Clark
May 21, 1973
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Edward John Hammond, Jr.
Nov 23, 1973
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McCord Lee Springfield, Jr.
Mar 12, 1977
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James N. Bush, Jr.
Dec 29, 1978
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James Lee Jefferson
Aug 18, 1979
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Clarence Purvis Cox, Jr.
May 12, 1981
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Ronald D. Oliver
Aug 5, 1981
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Larry Paul Childress
Jan 14, 1982
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Charles L. Harrison
May 6, 1982
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John Wesley Sykes, Jr.
Dec 31, 1982
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Robert Sterling Hester
Jan 12, 1983
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Booker T. Shaw
Dec 17, 1985
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John Edward Reeve
Sep 9, 1991
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Rufus Gates
Nov 7, 1994
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Dannael James Weekes
Mar 7, 1997
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Don Williams
Jan 29, 1998
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Don Lee Overton
Oct 12, 1999
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John Harold Robinson, Jr.
Dec 1, 1999
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Clayton Wayne Hicks, Jr.
Nov 14, 2000
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Anthony Louis Woods
Aug 27, 2003
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Marlon Allen Titus
Mar 30, 2004
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Timothy Felton Warren
Jul 3, 2011
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Martoiya Veontwanneice Woods Lang
Dec 14, 2012
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Sean Michael Bolton
Aug 1, 2015
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Verdell Smith, Sr.
Jun 4, 2016
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Bobby Rodriguez Montgomery
Aug 16, 2020
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Christopher Scott Triplett
May 22, 2021
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Jimmie Alexander Shindler
Sep 20, 2021
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Darrell Dewayne Adams
Oct 2, 2021
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Michael Lewis Hill
Nov 4, 2021
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Corille Cortez Jones
Jan 20, 2022
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Geoffrey Bernard Redd
Feb 18, 2023
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Joseph Russell McKinney
Apr 12, 2024
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Demetrice Lavelle Johnson
Aug 2, 2024
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 39-W
What is kept
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