MERIDIAN, Miss. (Queen City Newsfeed) – Law enforcement officers, first responders, family members and community members gathered Tuesday at the Meridian Police Department to honor the memory of Officer Kennis Winston Croom, who was killed in the line of duty four years ago while responding to a domestic violence call.
The tribute ceremony, held on the fourth anniversary of Croom’s death on June 9, 2022, featured participation from the Meridian Fire Department, Metro Ambulance Service and local law enforcement agencies. The event included the playing of “Taps” and a motorcade that traveled down Kennis W. Croom Street, a portion of E Street adjacent to the Meridian Police Department that was renamed in honor of the fallen officer.
Croom, a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, served with several law enforcement agencies across Mississippi before joining the Meridian Police Department. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, he was fatally shot while responding to a domestic violence call, making the ultimate sacrifice while serving and protecting his community.
Meridian Police Chief Malachi Sanders said the ceremony was organized by officers who wanted to ensure Croom’s sacrifice would not be forgotten.
“This is just a small token of appreciation that we have for him and any officer that loses their life for that matter,” Sanders said. “All of the officers got together and they came to us, and they wanted to do a special tribute for Croom. Most every last officer that’s working here worked with him. He gave his life serving others, being a public servant, and that’s one of the things that we wanted to do.”
Sanders was joined during interviews by Assistant Chief Dareall Thompson and Assistant Chief Patrick Gale.
Although Sanders became chief on July 1, 2025, and never worked directly with Croom, he said the fallen officer remains part of the law enforcement family.
“Even though I didn’t know him, he was an officer, and he was a public servant. He gave his life, so all of us are family in law enforcement,” Sanders said. “I served in law enforcement capacity as a state trooper, but even when I was a state trooper, I knew of him, and he was my brother, and he was a part of my family.”
Sanders said honoring fallen officers is important because the public often does not see the risks officers face every day.
“This job is not an easy job. A lot of people take it for granted, but you’re putting your life on the line every single day,” Sanders said. “We don’t want the public to ever forget that, because that’s important. Officer Croom gave his life, as well as a lot of other officers all over the state or the continental United States. They gave their lives serving others, so we don’t want the public to forget that, and we will never forget that.”
Among those attending the ceremony was Kelvin Croom, the officer’s father, who expressed gratitude for the continued efforts to preserve his son’s legacy.
“We are very thankful that MPD thought enough to memorialize our son,” Croom said. “His legacy is very important. In his honor we have the Kennis Croom Memorial Scholarship that we’re giving out. We have five students that will receive $1,000 each. That will be given out on his birthday in July. The 2nd of July.”
The scholarship program awards five $1,000 scholarships annually in Croom’s memory.
Croom said the street naming and annual tributes help ensure that his son’s children and the community understand the significance of his sacrifice.
“We’re thankful for the City of Meridian. This street is named after our son,” Croom said. “He did give his life doing what he enjoyed, and that is serving the people and protecting the people, but for us, it means a lot when MPD thinks enough to memorialize him to make sure that his children understand the importance of their father sacrificing his life.”
He added that his son’s death ultimately helped protect others and prevent additional tragedy.
“Because of his sacrifice, there are other children that will get to see another day and enjoy,” Croom said. “My heart goes out to that family as well. We just pray that they are comforted on this day as well.”
Croom also thanked Meridian residents and encouraged continued efforts to build a safer community.
“I want to thank the citizens of Meridian for all that they do now,” he said. “Do the very best that you can to help make sure that children have a great experience in living, but people can live without the fear of someone murdering them, or stealing or robbing, attacking them in any form or fashion. We all need to get along.”
As the notes of “Taps” echoed across the police department grounds and emergency vehicles joined the memorial procession down Kennis W. Croom Street, those gathered reflected on the life and service of an officer whose sacrifice continues to resonate throughout Meridian and beyond.
The annual remembrance serves as a testament to Croom’s commitment to public service and the enduring impact he left on fellow officers, family members and the community he swore to protect.
