Fort Oglethorpe Honors Fallen Firefighters and Police Officers FORT OGLETHORPE, GA – On Monday, September 10, 2007, city officials in Fort Oglethorpe dedicated a memorial park to fallen firefighters and police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. With family members, police officers and firefighters present, Fort Oglethorpe Mayor Judd Burkhart cut the ribbon signifying the official opening of the park.  The park is situated next to Walgreen’s on Battlefield Parkway and has a walking track around its perimeter.   The park is dedicated to Fort Oglethorpe Fire and Rescue Captain Lewis Williams, Fort Oglethorpe Police Officer Jim Chandler, Jr., and Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Baxter Shavers.  Memorials to each of the slain emergency workers have been placed in the park, inscribed with their names, date of death and how many years service they had. Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue Captain Lewis Williams lost his life in the line of duty on May 14,1999.  He was operating at a trench rescue when he suffered a heart attack and died. Firefighter Lewis’ son Jason is currently a firefighter with Fort Oglethorpe Fire & Rescue and was present at the ceremony along with other members of his family. Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Baxter Shavers lost his life on April 14, 1978.   He pursued and stopped an armed robbery suspect who shot and killed him.  Some of Chief Deputy Shaver’s family was also present for the ceremony. Fort Oglethorpe Police Officer Jim Chandler, Jr. lost his life on September 5, 1982.  Officer Chandler, a motorcycle officer, was responding to a bank alarm when he was struck by another vehicle and killed. Chaplain Neal Brown who serves as Chaplain for both the Fort Oglethorpe Police Department and the Fire & Rescue Department said he hopes that these are the only plaques that ever have to be erected in the park.   Bruce Ballew, Chief of the Fire & Rescue Department and Chief Larry Black of the Police Department both spoke at the ceremony and praised the individuals for their service and dedication. The land for the park was given to the city by a local developer and Northwest Georgia Bank donated over $12,000 to make the park become a reality.