Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
Alex Cabrero Reporting"It's important for Ogden to know him and honor him."
A police officer killed in the line of duty finally gets his recognition. With September 11th just a day away, our thoughts are turning to the firefighters and police officers who gave their lives. We'll always remember their sacrifice, but until now, no one remembered an Ogden police officer who gave his life.
James David Snipes was a member of the Ogden Police Department for a grand total of four days. On that 4th day he was shot and later died. His wife was so emotional she moved away, leaving no one here who knew Snipesk, that is until Joe Chesser found him almost a hundred years later.
Joe Chesser has lots of stories about the history of the Ogden police department, but until recently he had never heard the story of James David Snipes.
Joe Chesser, Retired Ogden Police Officer: “I had never heard of that. We had seven other police officers I was aware of who were killed in the line of duty.”
Turns out, there are eight. Chesser, a former Ogden police officer, has done tons of research on the department’s past. He read where Ogden, in 1903, bought a coffin, burial plot, and suit for a fallen officer, 29-year old James Snipes.
Joe Chesser: “And he was hired on Tuesday. Then, that Friday he went to work and his wife begged him not to go.”
That's because she was close to giving birth to their second child, but Snipes went to work anyway. That night he and his partner saw a man riding a bicycle.
Joe Chesser: “And when the man on the bicycle was about 20 feet away, he jumped off his bike and started firing at the officers.”
Both were hit, Snipes died.
Joe Chesser: “His wife gave birth the following day after he died.”
She was so upset she moved, leaving no one in Ogden to remember Snipes, until Chesser found him. Now Snipes has a memorial headstone. Previously it was unmarked.
Chesser even located Snipes two living grandchildren.
Joe Chesser: “That had been my dream, was to call someone on the phone and say, ‘Let me tell you something about your grandfather.”
It’s a bond between two Ogden police officers not even a hundred years could separate.
Joe Chesser: “Well, I hope he’s smiling, I do.”
Chesser hopes to have Snipe's name added to the state monument and be recognized nationally, showing even though right now we're thinking of the fallen officers from 9-11, it's okay to remember all the officers who gave their lives.
