Desoto County News

Fallen Heroes Memorial Ceremony

Photo: The Fallen Heroes Memorial stands in front of the County Courthouse in Hernando.

Friday, May 3 was the date for the annual DeSoto County Fallen Heroes Memorial Ceremony. It honored those county law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty and took place at the DeSoto County Courthouse in Hernando. 

Twelve officers are remembered each year for their ultimate sacrifice in protecting residents of the county. 

They are as follows:  

DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department

  • Deputy Henry R. Campbell
  • Deputy William C. Cooper
  • Deputy Carter Jones
  • Sheriff William P. Harris
  • Constable Robert Dodson
  • Deputy Larry Cox
  • Deputy Larkin Pettit
  • Lt. Gregory Floyd Medlin
  • Deputy Paul Andre LeBlanc, Jr. 

City of Hernando Police Department

  • Patrolman Rory Welch Key

City of Southaven Police Department

  • Lt. James W. Lance Jr.  

Mississippi Highway Patrol

  • Trooper Bobby L. Wells, Jr.

Speaker for the program was Col. Charles Haynes, who is the Director of the Mississippi Highway Patrol and Assistant Commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety.  

The following photos from Friday’s ceremony are provided with credit and thanks to Jerald Wheeler, and the Olive Branch Police Department and City of Hernando Facebook pages.  

Bob Bakken

Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates and high school football play-by-play on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.