GLASGOW, Ky. — Peace Officers Memorial Day, observed May 15 and established in 1962, honors law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

On May 8, local officers gathered at the Glasgow Police Department to remember those who made that sacrifice. But who were they?

Policeman Robert Thurman — End of Watch: Sept. 18, 1914

Robert Thurman, 35, was a police officer in Glasgow who had previously served as a marshal in Burkesville and Edmonton, according to newspaper accounts.

About a year before his death, as bootlegging became more prevalent in Glasgow, the Glasgow City Council and Mayor J.S. Leech hired Thurman with the understanding that he would “try to arrest every violator of the law.”

“He was a stranger here, and therefore could have no ‘favorites,’ and within a few weeks he had arrested and convicted 25 persons.”

Newspapers at the time reported that Thurman had “many enemies” and received frequent death threats. He was also said to have been offered “large sums of money to leave” by “interested parties,” but remained on the job.

He was shot in the chest while walking along West Main Street to the city jail, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Two men were later charged in his murder: Milton Mansfield and Louie Pace.

Thurman was to be married two days before he was killed along in Glasgow. He was previously married and a widower at the time, with two children—a 16-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son.

He was described as a man of courage and resolve.

“Thurman was a man absolutely without fear, and had made a splendid officer here. It has been believed for some time that he was marked for assassination by the lawless element, who feared and hated him greatly.”

He had survived an earlier attempt on his life just months before his death.

His body was taken to Clinton County and interred in a family burial ground.

Town Marshal Harry Collins — End of Watch: July 18, 1926

In July 1926, Dick Vance was hosting a “brew party” at his home in Jacksonville, the area now home to the hospital and Lexington Drive.

Arthur McCallister, who lived nearby, joined the gathering, according to the Glasgow Republican newspaper.

The newspaper reported that Louis Vance, Dick’s brother, was “engaged in a so-called friendly scuffle,” while McCallister and Vance’s wife went to the barn, reportedly to have a bottle of brew.

When Vance learned his wife had gone to the barn, he followed them. After an argument, McCallister shot him before fleeing into a nearby house.

Sheriff Ed Matthews and Harry Collins were dispatched to arrest McCallister. Collins was shot after entering the home, where McCallister was reportedly hiding behind a door.

Collins, who was known for being fearless like his father, also a well-known marshal, served with the Glasgow Police Department for seven years before his death.

Deputy Wayne “Bull” Branham — End of Watch: Jan. 26, 2011

Wayne “Bull” Branham was a former homicide detective with the Jefferson County Police Department and was serving with the Barren County Sheriff’s Office at the time of his death.

According to his obituary, Branham died at the University of Louisville Hospital. A later newspaper report stated he had suffered a heart attack prior to his death.

Deputy Ernest Franklin — End of Watch: April 2, 2014

History was made when Sheriff Chris Eaton hired Ernest Franklin. He was the first Black deputy with the Barren County Sheriff’s Office.

Franklin was killed in a car crash along Kentucky 90. His vehicle left the roadway, struck an embankment, and then landed in a small pond. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene, according to Officer Down Memorial Page.

Franklin served with the Barren County Sheriff’s Office for seven years.

Deputy Rusty Anderson — End of Watch: March 18, 2018

Rusty Anderson, a Barren County native, served in law enforcement from 2000 until the time of his death. At the time, he was working as a detective with the Barren County Sheriff’s Office.

According to reports, Anderson suffered a heart attack moments before leaving his home to assist with an ongoing investigation after being called by the sheriff’s office.

Deputy Mike Richardson told the Bowling Green Daily News that Anderson had been called out by the sheriff and was preparing to leave when he suffered the heart attack.

“He was an integral part of our day-to-day operations and very sought after. A very big piece of our puzzle is missing right now,” Houchens said. “In this line of work we get really close to each other and families get really close. We’re going to miss him.”

Anderson was 47 and left behind a wife and two children.