This week is National Police Week. In honor of this, the Stuart Police Department has introduced four new Reserve Officers, as well as their newest full-time Officer, Pedro Leyva. They’ve also taken the opportunity to remember the three officers who have perished in the line of duty as members of the department.

The oldest recorded case of an officer falling in the line of duty happened nearly 100 years ago. Night Marshal John Kerr Myers was shot and killed as he was attempting to stop a burglary at the First National Bank in town on March 30th, 1921. Myers, who had served with the department for several years, discovered five men inside the bank after they blew open the vault. He died of a gunshot wound during the ensuing altercation.

Night Marshal Charles Loucks suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after confronting four youths in front of a tavern on December 25th, 1954. Loucks was originally called to the tavern by the owner, after he refused to serve the minors alcohol. He and a sheriff’s deputy were able to subdue them, however Loucks collapsed and died shortly after the incident.

Most recently, former Chief Robert Lynn Smith died as a result of complications from injuries sustained when a subject pushed him on September 20th, 2009. On that evening, Smith arrested a man for disorderly conduct and public intoxication. Following the subject’s evaluation at a local hospital, the man escaped custody and violently pushed Smith to the ground. Smith suffered multiple injuries and was paralyzed as a result of corrective surgery. He died nine months later on August 13th, 2010. Smith served with the department for several years and had previously served with the U.S. Army for 23 years. He is survived by his wife and six children.