‘Our community rose up,’ CMPD Chief Jennings says at annual memorial for fallen officers

Jeff A. Chamer
·2 min read

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Johnny Jennings said Friday’s annual Mecklenburg County Peace Officers Memorial Service was a “somber celebration” of the lives of officers who died on duty, including the four officers killed in April’s east Charlotte shootout.

Hundreds of guests, including several family members of the fallen officers, gathered at First Baptist Church in uptown Charlotte for the memorial service.

“It’s a reminder of what we do every single day when we put that uniform on and we go out and protect and serve those that we don’t even know,” Jennings said.

Jennings commended the way officers with CMPD and other agencies responded during the April 29 shootout, whether it was at the scene, or helping in other ways like directing traffic.

“Our community rose up for our profession,” Jennings said.

He also spoke about the messages he heard from the wives of CMPD Officer Joshua Eyer and Deputy Marshal Thomas Weeks while attending recent memorial services, saying they want the community to come together to support law enforcement.

Also killed in the April 29 shooting were N.C. Department of Adult Correction Officers Sam Poloche and William “Alden” Elliott.

“I do want everyone to know how much the community outpouring, community support and all of the ‘thank you’s’ and appreciation for what we do — how much that goes towards the psyche of our officers,” Jennings said.

Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, U.S. Attorney Dena King, City Manager Marcus Jones and other guests attended.

At the beginning of the service, officers laid wreaths at the front of the stage as a slideshow presentation listed the names and faces of more than 40 officers who have died on duty since the 1800s.

The family of slain Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Officer Joshua Eyer and police officers prepare to walk from the Fallen Officer Memorial Statue to First Baptist Church in uptown Charlotte, NC on Friday, May 17, 2024. CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings unveiled Eyer’s engraved name on the monument during a ceremony. Eyer died from wounds sustained during a gun battle on Monday, April 29, 2024.

CMPD also unveiled a plaque with Eyer’s name as the newest addition to a memorial for officers who have died on duty, which serves as the base of a statue on East Trade Street depicting an officer trying to save another.

Former Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, a Charlotte native and a friend of Jennings, spoke at the service about his experience connecting with police as a kid in the Police Athletic League.

Wilks said he respects the work law enforcement officers do, connecting it to an acronym he frequently uses — ACT, which stands for accountability, commitment, and trust. He said law enforcement officers are champions of those values.

“Being accountable … taking the initiative do things right, staying committed to protect and serve,” Wilks said. “When we as citizens are running away from danger, you guys are running towards it, and I thank you for that, and that continuous trust that you try to build within this community to try and uphold and do your job.”