Retired Collierville PD chief Larry Goodwin dies
Retired Collierville Police Chief Larry Goodwin died Wednesday, the department announced.
“It is with profound sadness that we learned retired Chief Larry Goodwin has passed away,” the department’s Facebook post read. “Chief Goodwin served Collierville with distinction.”
Goodwin, 75, was appointed in 1999 as chief of police and served until his 2018 retirement.
He was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps then retired from the Memphis Police Department before beginning his service in Collierville.
Goodwin spent a total of 48 years in law enforcement.
Current Police Chief Dale Lane said he does not know the cause of Goodwin’s death.
Jennifer Casey, Collierville’s public information officer, said Goodwin had been sick for a while and was hospitalized the week of Aug. 9 but the illness was not COVID-19 related.
The Collierville Police Department is working with Goodwin’s family to find a way to honor him but nothing is set yet, Lane said.
Goodwin started Collierville’s School Resource Officer unit, oversaw the courthouse construction, patrol building and communications center, the Facebook post said.
He also was instrumental in beginning the annual classic car show which raised more than $100,000 for the Collierville Education Foundation.
“We have lost a special member of the CPD family who modeled what it meant to serve with honor and integrity,” Lane said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Goodwin family and all those whose life has been touched by Chief Goodwin.”