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Donations for OFFICER LONNIE DURHAM #15350
8/6/2021 - 11/30/2021Event Description
MY NAME IS DETECTIVE BRENT DURHAM #14599 WITH THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS WITH GREAT SADNESS AND HUMILITY THAT I HAVE BEEN TASKED WITH DRAFTING THIS LETTER REGARDING THE PASSING OF MY BROTHER, OFFICER LONNIE DURHAM #15350. LONNIE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE RAE LYNN DURHAM, AND HIS FOUR TEENAGE CHILDREN. LONNIE WAS A DEVOTED HUSBAND, FATHER, AND POLICE OFFICER.
OUR FAMILY IS VERY PROUD AND HONORED OF OUR SERVICE WITH THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT BEGINNING WITH MY FATHER, SERGEANT MARK DURHAM, WHO BEGAN HIS CAREER HERE IN 1976. OUR FATHER SERVED FOR THIRTY YEARS SWORN AND AN ADDITIONAL NINE YEARS AS A CIVILIAN IN THE PROPERTY ROOM. SEEING THE IMPACT OUR FATHER HAD IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAUSED LONNIE AND I TO BOTH HAVE THE DESIRE TO BE A PART OF THIS LAW ENFORCEMENT FAMILY.
I JOINED THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN FEBRUARY 2007 AND LONNIE JOINED EXACTLY A YEAR LATER. WE SPENT THE BEGINNING SEVERAL YEARS MAINLY WORKING TOGETHER ON THE SAME PATROL SQUADS. I ALWAYS ENJOYED LONNIE’S LOVE OF THE JOB AND HIS INNATE ABILITY TO BALANCE THE JOB WITH HIS FAMILY LIFE. LONNIE WAS A JOY TO BE AROUND AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED AROUND HIM WOULD TELL YOU THE SAME. HE ALWAYS HAD A HUGE SMILE ON HIS FACE AND WAS THE DEFINITION OF A “GENTILE GIANT.”
LONNIE WAS VERY DEVOTED TO HIS CAREER WITH THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LOVED THE COMMUNITY HE SERVED. HE WAS THE TYPE OF OFFICER THAT YOU KNEW ALWAYS HAD YOU BACK. LONNIE WAS ALSO VERY COMPASSIONATE AND TREATED EVERYONE WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. DURING HIS CAREER, LONNIE WAS AWARDED A MEDAL OF VALOR AND ALSO A LIFESAVING AWARD.
LONNIE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFICULT INCIDENCES WHILE CONDUCTING HIS DUTIES AS A POLICE OFFICER. AS A FAMILY, WE FELT ONE OF THESE INCIDENCES WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO SHARE.
IN APRIL 2012 LONNIE AND I WERE WORKING GRAVEYARDS AND RESPONDED TO A CALL OF A PERSON HOLDING A GUN TO A FEMALE’S HEAD. I SAW THE SUSPECT FLEEING THE SCENE AND WENT INTO FOOT PURSUIT. AS LONNIE WAS DRIVING TO THE AREA, HE SAW THE SUSPECT TURN AROUND WITH A GUN IN HIS HAND AND TRY TO SHOOT ME, HIS YOUNGER BROTHER. THIS CAUSED AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING OF WHICH NEITHER I NOR ANY OTHER OFFICERS WERE INJURED. I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ANYTHING OF THE INCIDENT BECAUSE NO OFFICERS WERE INJURED BY THE SUSPECT. I ASSUMED MY BROTHER WAS OK.
AFTER THE SHOOTING INCIDENT, I MOVED ON TO INVESTIGATIONS AND LONNIE CONTINUED TO WORK THE STREETS OF GLENDALE ON PATROL. WE WOULD TALK ABOUT POLICING EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT WOULD MAINLY SPEAK ABOUT FAMILY MATTERS. LONNIE ALWAYS HAD A BIG SMILE AND I ASSUMED HE WAS OK.
IT WAS NOT UNTIL OCTOBER 2020 THAT I FOUND OUT THE IMPACT THE SHOOTING INCIDENT HAD ON LONNIE. LONNIE HAD CARRIED THE BURDEN OF FEELING COMPLETELY HELPLESS WHILE HE SAW SOMEONE TRY TO MURDER HIS BROTHER. I HAD NO IDEA THE INCIDENT EVEN CAUSED HIM ISSUES UNTIL I WAS TOLD ABOUT IT BY MY PARENTS. I WAS TOLD HE WAS HAVING NIGHTMARES, TROUBLE SLEEPING, PROBLEMS WITH GOING TO WORK, SWEATING, HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS, AND ALL OF THE OTHER COMMON SYMPTOMS OF PTSD. THE TRULY SAD THING WAS THAT I WAS HIS BROTHER AND DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS UNTIL YEARS LATER. AFTER HEARING OF THIS, I TOLD MY BROTHER HE NEEDED TO CONTACT HIS SERGEANT AND GET OFF THE STREETS. LONNIE LOVED HIS JOB BUT KNEW THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO NOT ONLY FOR HIMSELF, BUT FOR HIS FELLOW SQUAD MATES AND FAMILY.
LONNIE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING HELP FOR HIS PTSD, AND ALSO GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF A MEDICAL RETIREMENT WHEN HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19. LONNIE SPENT OVER A WEEK BATTLING THE VIRUS BEFORE NEEDING TO BE HOSPITALIZED. LONNIE WAS PLACED ON A VENTILATOR AND RECEIVED THE BEST MEDICAL CARE AVAILABLE. ON 8/2/21, LONNIE’S SWEET WIFE AND I WERE BY HIS SIDE WHEN HE PASSED FROM THIS EARTH. IT WAS ONLY IN THAT MOMENT THAT I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF WHAT LONNIE FELT LIKE ON THAT DAY IN APRIL 2012. THE HELPLESSNESS OF KNOWING YOU ARE POWERLESS TO HELP YOUR BROTHER. IT WAS A FEELING THAT CANNOT BE PUT INTO WORDS.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY BROTHER PASSED AWAY BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO MEDICALLY RETIRE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS LEFT HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN WITHOUT THAT MUCH NEEDED SOURCE OF INCOME. I KNOW AFTER ALL OF THE INCIDENTS MY BROTHER WENT THROUGH IN HIS CAREER; HE WOULD HAVE EARNED THIS RETIREMENT IF HE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN FROM US BY THIS VIRUS.
LONNIE WAS GREATLY LOVED BY OUR FAMILY, HIS WIFE, HIS CHILDREN, THE COMMUNITY, AND HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR FAMILY IS DEFINITELY NOT ONE TO SEEK OUT CHARITY, BUT I KNOW MY BROTHER WOULD WANT HIS FAMILY TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AFTER THIS TRAGEDY. IT IS WITH GREAT HUMILITY THAT WE ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER.
RESPECTFULLY,
BRENT DURHAM AND THE ENTIRE DURHAM FAMILY
*** The Glendale Chamber is providing a link for donations to support the family - all proceeds (100%) will go to the Durham Family. ***
OUR FAMILY IS VERY PROUD AND HONORED OF OUR SERVICE WITH THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT BEGINNING WITH MY FATHER, SERGEANT MARK DURHAM, WHO BEGAN HIS CAREER HERE IN 1976. OUR FATHER SERVED FOR THIRTY YEARS SWORN AND AN ADDITIONAL NINE YEARS AS A CIVILIAN IN THE PROPERTY ROOM. SEEING THE IMPACT OUR FATHER HAD IN THE COMMUNITY AND WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CAUSED LONNIE AND I TO BOTH HAVE THE DESIRE TO BE A PART OF THIS LAW ENFORCEMENT FAMILY.
I JOINED THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN FEBRUARY 2007 AND LONNIE JOINED EXACTLY A YEAR LATER. WE SPENT THE BEGINNING SEVERAL YEARS MAINLY WORKING TOGETHER ON THE SAME PATROL SQUADS. I ALWAYS ENJOYED LONNIE’S LOVE OF THE JOB AND HIS INNATE ABILITY TO BALANCE THE JOB WITH HIS FAMILY LIFE. LONNIE WAS A JOY TO BE AROUND AND EVERYONE WHO WORKED AROUND HIM WOULD TELL YOU THE SAME. HE ALWAYS HAD A HUGE SMILE ON HIS FACE AND WAS THE DEFINITION OF A “GENTILE GIANT.”
LONNIE WAS VERY DEVOTED TO HIS CAREER WITH THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND LOVED THE COMMUNITY HE SERVED. HE WAS THE TYPE OF OFFICER THAT YOU KNEW ALWAYS HAD YOU BACK. LONNIE WAS ALSO VERY COMPASSIONATE AND TREATED EVERYONE WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY. DURING HIS CAREER, LONNIE WAS AWARDED A MEDAL OF VALOR AND ALSO A LIFESAVING AWARD.
LONNIE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL DIFFICULT INCIDENCES WHILE CONDUCTING HIS DUTIES AS A POLICE OFFICER. AS A FAMILY, WE FELT ONE OF THESE INCIDENCES WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO SHARE.
IN APRIL 2012 LONNIE AND I WERE WORKING GRAVEYARDS AND RESPONDED TO A CALL OF A PERSON HOLDING A GUN TO A FEMALE’S HEAD. I SAW THE SUSPECT FLEEING THE SCENE AND WENT INTO FOOT PURSUIT. AS LONNIE WAS DRIVING TO THE AREA, HE SAW THE SUSPECT TURN AROUND WITH A GUN IN HIS HAND AND TRY TO SHOOT ME, HIS YOUNGER BROTHER. THIS CAUSED AN OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING OF WHICH NEITHER I NOR ANY OTHER OFFICERS WERE INJURED. I NEVER REALLY THOUGHT ANYTHING OF THE INCIDENT BECAUSE NO OFFICERS WERE INJURED BY THE SUSPECT. I ASSUMED MY BROTHER WAS OK.
AFTER THE SHOOTING INCIDENT, I MOVED ON TO INVESTIGATIONS AND LONNIE CONTINUED TO WORK THE STREETS OF GLENDALE ON PATROL. WE WOULD TALK ABOUT POLICING EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, BUT WOULD MAINLY SPEAK ABOUT FAMILY MATTERS. LONNIE ALWAYS HAD A BIG SMILE AND I ASSUMED HE WAS OK.
IT WAS NOT UNTIL OCTOBER 2020 THAT I FOUND OUT THE IMPACT THE SHOOTING INCIDENT HAD ON LONNIE. LONNIE HAD CARRIED THE BURDEN OF FEELING COMPLETELY HELPLESS WHILE HE SAW SOMEONE TRY TO MURDER HIS BROTHER. I HAD NO IDEA THE INCIDENT EVEN CAUSED HIM ISSUES UNTIL I WAS TOLD ABOUT IT BY MY PARENTS. I WAS TOLD HE WAS HAVING NIGHTMARES, TROUBLE SLEEPING, PROBLEMS WITH GOING TO WORK, SWEATING, HAVING ANXIETY ATTACKS, AND ALL OF THE OTHER COMMON SYMPTOMS OF PTSD. THE TRULY SAD THING WAS THAT I WAS HIS BROTHER AND DID NOT EVEN KNOW ABOUT THIS UNTIL YEARS LATER. AFTER HEARING OF THIS, I TOLD MY BROTHER HE NEEDED TO CONTACT HIS SERGEANT AND GET OFF THE STREETS. LONNIE LOVED HIS JOB BUT KNEW THIS WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO NOT ONLY FOR HIMSELF, BUT FOR HIS FELLOW SQUAD MATES AND FAMILY.
LONNIE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF RECEIVING HELP FOR HIS PTSD, AND ALSO GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF A MEDICAL RETIREMENT WHEN HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19. LONNIE SPENT OVER A WEEK BATTLING THE VIRUS BEFORE NEEDING TO BE HOSPITALIZED. LONNIE WAS PLACED ON A VENTILATOR AND RECEIVED THE BEST MEDICAL CARE AVAILABLE. ON 8/2/21, LONNIE’S SWEET WIFE AND I WERE BY HIS SIDE WHEN HE PASSED FROM THIS EARTH. IT WAS ONLY IN THAT MOMENT THAT I CAUGHT A GLIMPSE OF WHAT LONNIE FELT LIKE ON THAT DAY IN APRIL 2012. THE HELPLESSNESS OF KNOWING YOU ARE POWERLESS TO HELP YOUR BROTHER. IT WAS A FEELING THAT CANNOT BE PUT INTO WORDS.
UNFORTUNATELY, MY BROTHER PASSED AWAY BEFORE HE WAS ABLE TO MEDICALLY RETIRE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. THIS LEFT HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN WITHOUT THAT MUCH NEEDED SOURCE OF INCOME. I KNOW AFTER ALL OF THE INCIDENTS MY BROTHER WENT THROUGH IN HIS CAREER; HE WOULD HAVE EARNED THIS RETIREMENT IF HE HAD NOT BEEN TAKEN FROM US BY THIS VIRUS.
LONNIE WAS GREATLY LOVED BY OUR FAMILY, HIS WIFE, HIS CHILDREN, THE COMMUNITY, AND HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS AT THE GLENDALE POLICE DEPARTMENT. OUR FAMILY IS DEFINITELY NOT ONE TO SEEK OUT CHARITY, BUT I KNOW MY BROTHER WOULD WANT HIS FAMILY TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AFTER THIS TRAGEDY. IT IS WITH GREAT HUMILITY THAT WE ASK FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER.
RESPECTFULLY,
BRENT DURHAM AND THE ENTIRE DURHAM FAMILY
*** The Glendale Chamber is providing a link for donations to support the family - all proceeds (100%) will go to the Durham Family. ***