William L. Copeland

William L. Copeland (1846 - December 30, 1885) was a police officer, government official, and state legislator in Arkansas.[1] He was born in Ohio and studied at Oberlin College in Ohio. On March 7, 1865, at the end of the American Civil War, he joined Company C, 2nd Ohio Cavalry Regiment, of the Union Army. At the end of the war, he returned to Oberlin College, where he studied from 1867–69.

He served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1873 until 1875 representing Crittenden County.[2] He was appointed assessor of Crittenden County.[3] In 1876 he was the Republican candidate for Arkansas Secretary of State.[2][4] A letter he wrote to his wife survives.[5] The Daily Arkansas Gazette described him as "Colored".[6] He was a Republican.[7]

Copeland may have been the first Little Rock police officer killed in the line of duty. Copeland was killed after being assaulted by a jail trusty who was on work release.[8][9][10][11]

References
  1. "William L. Copeland - Arkansas Black Lawyers". arkansasblacklawyers.uark.edu.
  2. Little Rock Police Department: History & Personnel. Turner Publishing Company. January 30, 2005. ISBN 9781596520615 – via Google Books.
  3. "INDEX TO REPORTS OF COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE SECOND SESSION OF THE FORTY-THIRD CONGRESS. 1874-'75". January 30, 1875 – via Google Books.
  4. "Arkansas Historical Quarterly". January 30, 1985 – via Google Books.
  5. "Letter, William Copeland to Annie Copeland". African Americans in Arkansas. October 22, 1877.
  6. "William L. Copeland". Newspapers.com. 2017-11-18. Retrieved 2021-02-01.
  7. "Encyclopedia of Arkansas".
  8. "Police seek fallen officers' graves". Arkansas Online. May 15, 2012.
  9. "LRPD announces program to memorialize fallen officers". Arkansas Online. May 14, 2012.
  10. Hanson, Aprille (15 May 2012). "Police seek fallen officers' graves". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved 18 March 2023 – via PressReader.
  11. "William L Copeland, 12/30/1885". www.lrfop.org.
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