Fallen officer honored in Clay City

CLAY CITY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — A fallen officer at the Clay County Police Department gets memorialized after nearly 60 years.

Many people throughout the country are honoring law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. It was a former town marshal’s turn to be remembered.

On September 17, 1967, Perry W. Haviland was killed in the line of duty while struggling with a burglary suspect outside of a store. His grandson Fritz Modesitt has been lobbying for a memorial at the police department, and that dream became a reality.

“It means a great deal to me,” he said. “I’ve been championing this cause since the 80s to get recognition for my grandpa. He’s only one of two law enforcement officers from Clay County that have been killed in the line of duty and I think it’s very befitting.”

The headstone will remain outside the Clay City Police Department, but for years it was kept in storage at a local funeral home. The public will finally get to see it every time they cross the police station. The emotional dedication happened to fall during police week, and Clay City police chief Terry Silvers says that it is all about remembering those lost.

“It was nice that it happened around this time, but it was more about the family,” he said. “We wanted to show the family that we haven’t forgotten him and we care and that’s what police week is all about.”

Dozens of people stopped by to admire the memorial. Now in 2024 it is a sure thing that Perry Haviland will never be forgotten.

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