This is National Police Week, honoring and remembering all the officers who have died in the line of duty. Miami County has experience two line-of-duty deaths, both with the Osawatomie Police Department. The first over a century ago. In January of 1895, Officer James Helms was shot and killed while investigating the sounds of an explosion in the downtown area. In 1899 a convict in Minnesota confessed to killing Officer Helms. Helms is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, in Osawatomie. He was 50 years old.
The other Osawatomie officer to die was Chief of Police Michael F. Churchill who was shot and killed February 3rd, 1947, while attempting to arrest a man for beating his wife the previous night. Chief Churchill was 48 years old and had served as a law enforcement office for 17 years. The Miami County Sheriff’s Office has a First Responder Memorial where both names are etched into the stone as a constant show of remembrance, respect and honor.
