05/15/2020
Today officers and citizens gathered to honor National Police Memorial Day at the memorial sign dedicated to TFC Thomas Hercules and Trooper Charles Johnson for the 3rd annual service.
The service began in 2017 by Sheriff K.C. Bohrer to honor all police officers but especially those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in Morgan County.
Troopers Hercules and Johnson were gunned down in Paw Paw, WV on 12 January 1977. In 2014 a section of US 522 was dedicated to the memory of these officers.
Pastor Mike Leedom, Union Chapel United Methodist Church gave the invocation and benediction for the service.
Also honored today were Constable L.O. “Pete Zimmerman” who was just recently found to have died in the line of duty in Morgan County in the 1955 and Berkeley Springs Police K-9 Fritzi who died as the result of a drowning on duty in 2015.
Through the efforts of retired New Jersey Officer Wayne Sanderson’s research, we recently learned of the death of Zimmerman in 1955 while he was attempting to stop a speeding car on US 522 in the area of what is now US Silica. Constable Zimmerman is survived by his son, Paul Zimmerman, and other local family members.
Sheriff Bohrer, after learning of this death, submitted Constable Zimmerman’s death to the National Police Officer’s Memorial for his inclusion on the National Memorial next year. The committee is reviewing this application.
The service was attended by officers from the Morgan County Sheriff’s Department, West Virginia State Police, West Virginia Division of Parole and Berkeley Springs Police Department.
