Tenn. Police Chief Dies at Station after Medical Emergency
Source Officer.com News
A Tennessee police chief died at his station earlier this week from a medical emergency while trying to help remove a road obstruction.
Samburg Police Chief Christopher Cummings, 53, died Sunday, his obituary stated. Cummings was on duty at the time of his death.
"Our town is saddened by the death of our Police Chief Chris Cummings," the Samburg-Reelfoot Fire Department stated in a social media post. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family during this difficult time."
According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Cummings was part of a response to remove a beaver dam that was blocking roads and creating flooding. While helping with the removal of the dam, Cummings began to feel ill and returned to the station.
An unresponsive Cummings was discovered when officers went back to the station about an hour later. Life-saving efforts were attempted, but Cummings was pronounced dead.
"Chris was one of a kind and his passing will be felt by many for quite some time."
Before becoming Samburg's chief, Cummings served as a sergeant with the Obion County Sheriff's Office, according to Jackson. He also worked with the Union City Police Department.
According to his obituary, Cummings served in the Army directly out of high school, becoming a military police officer in Germany during the fall of the Berlin Wall. He finished his service in 1993 and joined the Tennessee Army National Guard, where he was deployed twice to Iraq during his 25 years of service.
