Five area police officers who died in line of duty, including one from 1957, honored today

Of those nine officer being honored today, five are from our region.

Officer Anthony E. Cloyd, University of Dayton Department of Public Safety

Officer Anthony Cloyd, 59, died Dec. 9, 2021, from COVID-19. He is the first University of Dayton officer to die in the line of duty, according to the university.

He served for 16 years with UD police, spending that entire time patrolling the student neighborhoods.

UD officials praised Cloyd for his professionalism and kindness, saying that he earned several awards during his career and would pay for meals out of his own pocket for homeless people he encountered on his beat.

Corporal Matthew D. Mitchell, South Vienna Police Department

Corporal Matthew D. Mitchell died Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021.

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page website, Mitchell died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Corporal Mitchell had served with the South Vienna Police Department for three years and previously served with the South Charleston Police Department.

Officer Timothy J. Unwin, Springfield Township Police Department (former city of Hamilton police officer)

Springfield Twp. officer Timothy J. Unwin lost control of his vehicle while responding to an officer needs assistance call March 31, 2023.

Previously, Unwin was a member of the Hamilton Police Department from August, 2019 to May, 2021.

Hamilton Police Chief Craig Bucheit said of him, “While Tim’s time here was brief, his impact was significant in terms of the lives he touched and the many relationships he forged.”

Deputy Joshua I. Hamilton, Preble County Sheriff’s Office

Credit: Preble County Sheriff's Office

Credit: Preble County Sheriff's Office

Deputy Joshua I. Hamilton died Dec. 18, 2023, after a head-on car crash while he was on routine patrol.

Hamilton started with the Preble County Sheriff’s Office in May 2022. He started at the jail before he was promoted in June 2023 to road patrol.

Preble County Sheriff Mike Simpson described Hamilton as a good deputy and called his death a huge loss to to the sheriff’s office.

Simpson said to his knowledge Hamilton is the first deputy who died in the line of duty in Preble County.

Germantown Police Department Assistant Chief Orion Hale

The ceremony will also include the historical induction of Germantown Police Department Assistant Chief Orion Hale who died in December 20, 1957.

Hale was first elected as a Germantown constable in 1941. By 1948 he was a nightshift patrolman.

A veteran of more than 20 years on the Germantown police force, Hale, 70, died of a heart attack while talking to other officers and a group of juveniles along the main thoroughfare of town when he suddenly collapsed.