Who We Are

About Us

The Morris Heithcock Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police was formed in 1975 in honor of John Morris Heithcock, a Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy who was slain in the line of duty on June 28, 1972.  We've been dedicated ever since to remembering our fallen brothers who made the ultimate sacrifice for what they believed.  One way we do this is to hold a yearly memorial event in downtown Franklin, usually in the first week of May.  This is held in conjunction with National Police Week which is held in Washington D.C. on and around May 15th, National Peace Officer's Memorial Day.

Today, as well as remembering our fallen officers, Lodge 41 sponsors youth athletic teams; provides college scholarships to graduating High School seniors who qualify; host American Red Cross blood drives; and sponsor community outreach programs such as Shop With a Cop.  The FOP also takes care of officers who find themselves in extraordinary, emergency situations such as house fires, deaths of family members, and severe medical crises.  We are comprised of multiple local agencies, State Highway Patrol, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), Federal agencies, as well as retired LEOs from other states.   The Fraternal Order of Police enjoy supporting the communities who support us!

History

The Morris Heithcock Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police was formed in 1975 in honor of John Morris Heithcock, a Williamson County Sheriff’s Office Deputy who was slain in the line of duty on June 28, 1972.  When the Charter Members opened the Lodge, they sought to unearth any other Law Enforcement officials who also gave their lives in the line of duty in Williamson County.  At that time, they discovered four (4) others who were killed for their role in protecting the citizens of the county.  In 2010, sadly we added another officer, this time, a member of the Spring Hill Police Department.  Corporal Jeremy McLaren was the victim of a traffic collision where a citizen disobeyed a traffic signal striking his patrol vehicle, sending him to the hospital with a broken leg.  While he was recuperating, an undetected blood clot broke free, killing him.  It is my fervent wish that Cpl McLaren is the last Law Enforcement Official (LEO) added to our memorial roll.