Officer Horace Temple to Receive Roosevelt Award
School Resource Officer Horace Temple today became only the seventh member of the Metropolitan Police Department to receive the Theodore Roosevelt Association Police Award. The award was be bestowed during an 11:30 a.m. ceremony at the Pavilion in Centennial Park.
The Theodore Roosevelt Association Police Award is given to a police officer who has rendered outstanding and praiseworthy service to the department and the community despite a serious handicap, illness or injury.
In the winter of 2000, while working as a patrol officer in the East Precinct, Temple began experiencing severe headaches, which eventually caused numbness in his limbs, visual impairment and difficulty walking. Thinking that the problem could be related to blood sugar, a doctor recommended changes in the officer’s diet. Temple tried to cope day-to-day with repeated doses of over-the-counter pain relievers. Then one day he stumbled and almost passed out during roll call.
A series of tests revealed that a colloid cyst had formed in Temple’s brain. A neurologist confirmed the worst: “You need surgery first thing in the morning, or you may not live another day.”The physician warned that even if Temple survived the operation, he would not be a police officer anymore and would need assisted-living care.
Temple sought a second opinion from a Vanderbilt neurologist, who referred him to Dr. Kerry Krone at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Dr. Krone offered the officer a chance for recovery, acknowledging that his experimental procedure had high risk, but also a high success rate. Temple asked Dr. Krone to perform the operation.
Three weeks after brain surgery, Temple was flouting doctors’orders to take months off, and was mowing his yard at home. He asked police department supervisors to allow him to work on a light-duty basis at the East Precinct. The police department was more than happy to have him back. In February 2001, Temple returned to full-time status.
Horace Temple, 31, an eight-year police department veteran, is currently assigned as the school resource officer at Jere Baxter Middle School. There, he helped found a Boy Scout troop after realizing that too many boys lacked male role models at home. He also teaches the GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training) initiative, which encourages students to steer away from crime and toward the positives in life.
Officer Temple and his wife, Shelly, are the proud parents of two children, Anna, 7, and Jordan, 4.
“Horace Temple is a shining example of a committed, tenacious police officer who has a profound dedication to public service,”Chief Ronal Serpas said. “I am most grateful to the Tennessee Chapter of the Theodore Roosevelt Association for recognizing Officer Temple’s commitment to this police department and the citizens of Nashville.”
The Theodore Roosevelt Association established this awards program in honor of Theodore Roosevelt’s distinguished service as President of the Board of Police Commissioners of New York City from 1895 to 1897, and in recognition of his lifelong admiration for the police.
Nashville is one of a handful of cities in the United States to present the Roosevelt Award. Others include New York City, Buffalo and upstate New York, Boston, Long Island, Dallas and Philadelphia.
The generous support of Nextel Communications makes this year’s award possible. Through Nextel’s generosity, and that of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, Officer Temple received a $1,000 cash award, a medal, and a bust of Theodore Roosevelt. A bronze plaque, which bears a likeness of Roosevelt, and which is currently on display in the lobby of police headquarters, will now include the inscription of Officer Temple’s name.
Past Metro Police recipients of the Theodore Roosevelt Award were Sgt. Phillip Sage (1998), Detective Clifford Mann (1999), Detective Frank Pierce (2000), Sergeant James (Jimbo) Allen (2001), Officer William Richardson (2002) and Detective Joe Cooper (2003).
Information about the activities of the Theodore Roosevelt Association is available on the Internet, http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org.
James Summerville, Theodore Roosevelt Association Trustee (left), and Chief
Ronal Serpas (right) congratulate Officer Horace Temple on being the seventh
Metro Officer to receive the Theodore Roosevelt Association Police Award.
Brenda Wilt (center) of Nextel Communications, presents Officer Temple with
a $1,000 check. Nextel's generosity made this year's Theodore Roosevelt Association
Police Award possible.