Policeman Alonzo "Lon" Robinson

No 'Longer Forgotten: Pikeville Police Department digs into past to honor fallen officer

Posted on May 16, 2020

PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WYMT) - It has been 91 years since Alonzo "Lon" Robinson was killed in the line of duty.

The former Pikeville police officer was killed responding to a call related to the illegal sale of alcohol on May 16, 1929.

According to newspaper articles from that time, the 39-year-old officer was shot by Bruce Little of Floyd County in the Happy Hollow community of Pikeville when he searched a home for illegal alcohol.

Since then, Robinson's death has faded into the background. Until the Pikeville Police Department brought it into the spotlight.

"I just wish we knew more about Lon Robinson to honor that a little more. But all we know is just the archives that we get to read and see," said PPD Chief Chris Edmonds.

One year after PPD officer Scotty Hamilton was killed, his name was added to the National Peace Officers' Memorial in Washington, DC. After attending the ceremony for Hamilton, then-captain Aaron Thompson worked with Police Clerk Elizabeth Thompson to have Robinson added as well.

"They both researched, done data checks, found everything they needed. And we presented. We even found the commission meeting minutes of when he was sworn in and everything years ago," Chris Edmonds. "So much history around here we don't know about."

That research was successful in finding family members to help get the ball rolling. Now, though Thompson has retired, the mission is complete.

Robinson's name was added to the memorial this week in a virtual ceremony and the officers were able to honor him on Peace Officers' Memorial Day by placing a wreath on his once-overgrown grave.

"We didn't live it; didn't see no part of it. But we still want to honor it and still remember it. Because Scotty, of course, he died fighting a drug war and- back in that day- Lon died fighting an alcohol war," Edmonds said.

They say it was a blessing to put a face with his name and put his name where it belongs: forever engraved in history.

"It's just the different wars and different sagas that police officers see during their careers that they were fighting to make it better for. So it's great to honor that," Edmonds said.

Retired Police Officer
NYPD

May 17, 2020