Badge saves Oakland, TN cop shot in traffic stop

[Keith B]

Officer Joshua Smith's new badge protected him during an exchange of gunfire following a traffic stop about 1 a.m. Thursday, Oakland Police Chief Keith Hogwood said.

Police were still looking Thursday night for two men who fled the scene.

Hogwood said Smith was wearing a bullet-proof vest, but the badge, heavier than the ones Oakland officers wore earlier this year, stopped the bullet.

"The chief said the officer was complaining about it being too heavy," Oakland Mayor Bill Mullins said. "He said he wouldn't be complaining anymore."

While on patrol, Smith stopped a dark-colored gray or green Chevrolet Tahoe or Suburban on U.S. 64 near Cherry, police said.

The vehicle had a Tennessee temporary tag, designed for use on recently purchased automobiles, that had an expiration date of Sept. 9, or 9/9/09.

Hogwood said Smith pulled the vehicle over because it was weaving. He ordered the driver out to the back of the vehicle and was going to administer a field sobriety test.

The passenger got out, and refused to get back in the vehicle, Hogwood said.

Then the passenger said something to the driver in Spanish and pulled out a knife. The driver whipped out a gun and shot Smith in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Despite hitting his head on the ground, Smith was able to fire at least one shot at the fleeing suspects.

Police didn't know whether he hit either of the suspects.

Hogwood, who became police chief 13 months ago, made some changes including going to the thicker badges a few months ago.

"I ordered them because I liked the way they look," Hogwood said of the new oval shields.

The badge may have saved the officer's life.

He said the badges used in the past likely would not have stopped the bullet, and the bullet could have penetrated the officer's protective vest.

The suspects escaped in the vehicle, fleeing west on U.S. 64 toward Memphis. Oakland, in Fayette County, is about 35 miles east of Downtown Memphis.

Oakland police put out alerts to all surrounding agencies and have checked area hospitals for anyone with a bullet wound.

Both men were described as Hispanic. The driver, who shot the officer, was about 6 feet tall, of average build. He had a bad hair dye job that left an orange or red streak in his hair and wore a black, long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans.

The passenger was about 5-foot-10, with an average build and a shaved head. He was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt.

The officer was able to walk away. He was examined at Baptist Memorial Hospital-East and released.

"God was watching out," Hogwood said.

Smith has been an Oakland officer for about 8 months.

He was a Shelby County Sheriff's reserve officer before that, he said.

Hogwood said he will let Smith keep the dented badge as a souvenir.

-- Kevin McKenzie: 529-2348

-- Chris Conley: 529-2595

[surprise_i'm_armed]

KeithB:
Thanks for the heartwarming story.

Here's something along those same lines:

http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/ ... 001692.asp

Teddy Roosevelt survived an assassination attempt by a man using a .38 revolver.
The bullet was slowed down by TR's eyeglass case and folded speech. He was shot,
gave an 80 minute speech while bleeding, and THEN went to the hospital.

The above link shows an Xray of the .38 in his chest wall.
He carried it for the rest of his life.

SIA

[casingpoint]

Hispanic. Expired temp plates. Green cards, yea or nay? That is profiling, but then, I'm not a cop, so it's legal.

[Oldgringo]

I was born in Nashville, graduated from the Big Orange Univ. in Knoxville and know the way to Memphis. Just how far out in the country is Oakland, TN?

[surprise_i'm_armed]

Oldgringo:

I just tried to Mapquest this to get you an answer, but no go.

Tenn. has 10 Oaklands (1 each in 10 counties).

I re-read the OP and it said that the LEO involved was a former LEO
in Shelby County, but since there were no Oaklands in Shelby, County,
my mission to give you the mileage bore no fruit since I don't know
which county is involved.

SIA

[Keith B]

Oakland is about 15 miles east of Memphis out US 64. Shelby county is where Memphis is, but Oakland actually is in Fayette County. Here is a link to Google Maps http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=35.22666 ... -89.518056" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Memphis has become a real bad area for gangs, both black and hispanic. When we lived in Missouri we used to travel a lot to Memphis because of familiarity with the town. When my wife was between 5th and 6th grade, she was in the children's hospital there for over a month due to scoliosis surgery and my MIL got to know the town well.

It used to be a fun place to go, but not any longer. There was a mall we used to go to that they actually tore down because large number of the gangs, and the volume of robberies and shootings that occurred there. There are a lot of places I will go if not carrying; Memphis is no longer one of them!

[bdickens]

Maybe I sould go anead and get that CHL badge after all...

[joe817]

Maybe I sould go anead and get that CHL badge after all...

Oh good grief.