The Newton and Prairie City Police Departments and the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department will remember and honor their law enforcement officers that have lost their lives in the line of duty tonight at the annual Jasper County Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony. Today is Peace Officer Memorial Day, and this week is National Police Week. Current members of local Law Enforcement Service agencies will also be recognized during this evening’s 5:30 p.m. ceremony on the north side of the Jasper County Courthouse in Newton, and the public is encouraged to attend.

The six Jasper County Law Enforcement Officers lost in the line of duty are:

• Reserve Captain Howard Holdefer – Jasper County Sheriff’s Office – EOW: Oct. 30, 1973
• Officer Donald “Rusty” Hewitt – Prairie City Police Department – EOW: Dec. 3, 1977
• Officer Bobby Barrickman – Newton Police Department – EOW: Sept. 30, 1979
• Officer Daniel McPherren – Newton Police Department – EOW: Sept. 13, 1985
• Lieutenant Pat Richardson – Newton Police Department – EOW: Sept. 1, 2013
• Chief Michael German – Prairie City Police Department – EOW: Jan. 13, 2022

Last year in the United States, in the line of duty deaths for federal, state, tribal, and local law enforcement officers totaled 147.