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Fallen Officers Honored; One Sheriff Killed In North Escambia’s Past

May 18, 2012

Law enforcement officers who have died in the line duty were honored Thursday by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and the Fraternal Order of Police.

Over 25 law enforcement officers have died in the line of duty in Escambia County, including a sheriff shot to death in North Escambia.

Since 1923, 11 Escambia County deputies have died in the line of duty. Another 13 Pensacola Police Department Officers have been killed since 1889 and one constable was killed on duty in 1955.

1895: Alabama Sheriff Killed In North Escambia

An Escambia County, Alabama, sheriff was shot and killed in North Escambia near Bluff Springs on July 3, 1895.

Escambia County (Ala.) Sheriff E.S. McMillan was shot and killed as he and a posse searched for the notorious train robber nicknamed “Railroad Bill.” In 1893, Railroad Bill had shot and wounded a deputy sheriff who confronted him at a Bluff Springs home about not paying taxes on his weapon. He then fled and spent the next two years illegally riding Alabama freighters, robbing trains, and engaging in gun fights with lawmen.

In July of 1895, Sheriff McMillan (pictured) received a tip that Railroad Bill was hiding out in Bluff Springs, Florida, and went with a posse to arrest him. As Sheriff McMillan walked along the railroad tracks, the suspect, who was hiding behind a tree, opened fire with a Winchester rifle. Sheriff McMillan was struck and succumbed to his wounds a short time later. Railroad Bill was later gunned down by a host of law enforcement officers.

McMillan is the only officer from Escambia County, Alabama, to ever die in the line of duty.

Pictured: The annual Law Enforcement Memorial held Thursday at the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

6 Responses to “Fallen Officers Honored; One Sheriff Killed In North Escambia’s Past”

Brandie M Gunn on February 3rd, 2017 12:00 am

I appreciate the comments above about my uncle David i was four when he passed away I thank you for trying to honour him
429SCJ on May 19th, 2012 6:34 am

Let us honor our fallen heros.

I never heard the story of Railroad Bill. I wonder if Bill left any decendants in the area?
This could explain much, regarding some of the odd goings on that we read about on
NE.COM.
Scobie Wilcoxon on May 18th, 2012 9:54 am

[at the time of his death]
Scobie Wilcoxon on May 18th, 2012 9:53 am

I served with David Copeland at the ECSD (AL); he was a personal friend. [I was not in law enforcement at the time]. He died during the Hawsey administration; as a side note, his wife (a juvenile probation officer for Escambia County, AL) was with him that night, if memory serves.. There is adequate documentation.

I wrote the Officer Down page a note regarding the incident. I have never had a reply.

He also served with Atmore PD and Poarch Tribal Police during his career.
William on May 18th, 2012 9:32 am

I”m not at all disputing what you said about Deputy Copeland. The source for the article was the Officer Down Memorial Page:

http://www.odmp.org/agency/5373-escambia-county-sheriffs-office-alabama

This only lists Sheriff McMillan.

The Officer Down program does recognize heart attacks in the line of duty (there were two in Escambia County, Fla., for instance) Maybe someone could work to have Deputy Copeland honored by Officer Down and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
Avalon on May 18th, 2012 9:01 am

David Copeland was an ECSO (AL) deputy. He died of a heart attack while on duty struggling with an intoxicated person at Frostry Acres bar near the Monroe County, AL line. This was October 1998.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News