Officer of the Year 1988
Deputy C.V. Glennis
Pike County, Mississippi On December 3rd. 1987, one of the FBI’s most wanted men, Kenneth E. Oliver, walked into a bank in Summit, Mississippi. Oliver, who has already killed a state trooper in Michigan some years ago (and later escaped from prison), was also wanted for at least five additional bank (armed) robberies. Deputy Glennis responded to an alarm of a bank hold-up with a hostage taken when he arrived. He spotted the hostage/teller walking back toward the bank. Then he spotted Oliver in an alley way. Deputy Glennis waited for the hostage to clear the line of fire. He then pulled his unmarked patrol car between Oliver and the hostage. Almost at once Oliver fired three times with a .357 magnum at the deputy. Deputy Glennis returned fire. A shot hit the gunman in the right eye and he died instantly next to a trash bin. All these events taking place in seconds and minutes. Deputy C.V. Glennis represents the typical hard working and dedicated law enforcement officer. He certainly did not seek to become a hero. Nor as the call came in did he know that the would face a criminal who had killed and robbed many times before. In honoring this peace officer we honor every lawman in the nation. Many who are often killed or injured in the line of duty. Career criminal Kenneth Oliver led a life of crime and his loss will not be felt by our society. His (Oliver) error was to select a safe community and to face not only a fine officer, but the sheriff’s Skilled Firearms Instructor of Pike County who trained for such danger. We honor this officer of the year for bravery, skill and fidelity and that his courage is above and beyond the line of duty.
Previous Officers of the Year:
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