Winchester police remember fallen officer who came back from retirement to serve
The city of Winchester and its police department is mourning the loss of Sgt. William “Marty” Jackson II, who died of a heart attack after a line of duty incident Sunday.
Jackson, who was 73 years old, dedicated over 50 years of his life towards the community through law enforcement, according to his obituary. He began his career in 1973 as a police officer for the Paris Police Department and transferred to the Winchester Police Department four years later.
In 1989 Jackson was named the police chief in Winchester, according to his obituary. He held the position until his retirement in 2008.
James Hall, current Winchester Police Chief, said Jackson was dedicated to community service and it showed through his work.
“He had a very strong work ethic,” Hall said. “He showed that in his dedication to coming to work, doing his job, going above and beyond.”
Hall said Jackson retired because he wanted to give somebody else a chance to lead the department. A few months later he realized he still wanted to serve the community and he was hired back as a night shift patrol officer.
“He wanted to work,” Hall said. “He wasn’t the kind that wanted to ease into retirement, didn’t want to sit on the front porch and whittle, so to speak. He wanted to work and he wanted to serve his community.”
Jackson showed his dedication to community service in a variety of ways during his career. Hall said he would give people money for gas or food if they needed it, and he volunteered his spare time towards school crossing duties every morning and afternoon during the school year, an assignment that was outside his regular night shift duties.
“He was very caring about those in the community and those that he came across,” Hall said.
While on patrol, Jackson realized he wanted to help even more, , so he sought a promotion to sergeant, where he led a night shift of new officers eager for his expertise.
“We had a whole crop of new officers that never had known him as chief of police, but were still able to learn from him in his capacity as a sergeant,” Hall said.
Jackson was working the night shift the day of the incident that proceeding his death. Shortly before 4 a.m. Jackson responded to a report of a combative individual shortly before at the Clark Regional Medical Center, according to a website post dedicated to Jackson on the Officer Down Memorial Page. The individual resisted arrest and a struggle ensued until additional officers responded to help.
Later in the day, Jackson experienced chest pain and shortness of breath, according to the ODMP post. At approximately 7 p.m. he suffered a medical emergency while in his police cruiser and was transported to a hospital, where he later died.
Jackson’s cause of death was a heart attack, according to the ODMP post.
A service will be held Saturday in the George Rogers Clark High School Gymnasium. Visitation for family and Winchester police is from 8-9 a.m., with public visitation beginning at 9 a.m. Funeral begins at noon.
Following the service, the procession will travel down the bypass to I-64 to exit 96 to come into downtown on Maple Street and pass Winchester police headquarters before continuing to Winchester Cemetery on Lexington Avenue.
