‘Terence is watching’

Family and friends remember slain Memphis officer

First Baptist Church Broad was the site of two significant moments in Officer Terence Olridge’s journey:

In February 2015, he was sworn in as a Memphis police officer at the church.

On Monday, family and friends gathered at the Binghamton church to attend his funeral.

“On the night we gathered to celebrate Terence’s graduation from the Memphis Police academy, everyone was all smiles and Terence looked at me as if to say, ‘I told you I was going to be here,’” said Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong. “We had no way of knowing then that we would be here today to celebrate Terence’s life.”

Olridge, an off-duty Memphis police officer, was shot and killed last week by his neighbor during a dispute.

Lorenzo Clark, 36, was arrested on state and federal weapons charges in connection with the shooting, but police have said there is not enough evidence to charge Clark with murder in Olridge’s death.

Clark has been charged with being a felon in possession of a handgun. Police are continuing to investigate the shooting.

During the noon service attended by hundreds, Olridge was remembered as a father, a son and a man who went after his dream of becoming a Memphis police officer.

“Terence was locked in and focused,” Armstrong told the audience. “He was working a job that he had dreamed of. Last Sunday, he was in the fight for his life when the Lord said, ‘Stop fighting. It is time.’ ”

Olridge, 31, is the fourth Memphis police officer killed in the

last four years in the city. Three months ago, Officer Sean Bolton was shot and killed during a traffic stop while on duty.

Armstrong said that Olridge was also the second member of his 118th graduating class to die this year.

“Stay strong,” Armstrong said to the members of the class that attended Olridge’s funeral. “Terence is watching and telling you to take care of business.”

Officer Kyle Craig described his partner as a “humble” man who loved his family, job and always had a good attitude.

“I asked him what the ‘T’ stood for in his name and he told me ‘terrific,’ so that’s what I started calling him,” Craig said.

Olridge leaves behind a 10-month-old daughter from a previous relationship. His fiancée, Shaleda Rozier, is four months’ pregnant with his second child. Before his flagdraped casket was closed, she placed an ultrasound picture of their unborn child on Olridge’s chest.

PHOTOS BY MIKE BROWN/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong and other MPD officers await the casket of Officer Terence Olridge at First Baptist Broad Monday. Olridge was slain during a dispute with a neighbor Oct. 11. He was remembered as a man who realized his dream of...

Officer Kyle Craig, Terence Olridge’s partner, comforts Olridge’s fiancee, Shaleda Rozier. Craig described his partner as a “humble” man who loved his family and job.