CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A Charleston police officer quietly placed a black wreath Friday at the city’s police officers memorial to mark the four-year anniversary of the death of Officer Jerry Jones.
The 27-year-old was killed by friendly fire while trying to stop a man who had led police on a high speed chase the morning of Sept. 13, 2009.
Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster said the department never wants a year to go by that it doesn’t remember the sacrifice Jones made.
“He was really a good police officer. He was so young but the potential was very, very high. I felt and still feel if he were here the sky was the limit,” the chief said Friday.
Jones was known for his community policing skills according to Webster.
“It’s a tough job and we have to make tough decisions and sometimes they are adversarial. But we do want the public to be able to respect us and appreciate us and feel they can approach us. Jerry was one of those guys,” Webster said.