By Jim Hannah
The Cincinnati Enquirer

COVINGTON - John Thompson and William "Mox" McQuery were fatally shot in the line of duty more than a century ago near the southern end of the Roebling Suspension Bridge.

On Monday, police officers from across Northern Kentucky gathered at the site to honor these two men and to add a 33rd name to the Northern Kentucky Police Memorial - Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Officer Douglas Bryant.

Bryant, 62, of Villa Hills died in an auto wreck in May 2003 while pursuing a traffic violator on Interstate 71/75 near the Buttermilk Pike exit. The man he was chasing is awaiting trial on a manslaughter charge.

He was one of 51 officers killed nationwide last year in automobile wrecks. Wrecks tie with shootings as the leading cause of death for officers. One hundred forty-five officers died in the line of duty across the United States in 2003. "The two prominent features I'll remember about Doug was his smile and laugh," said Kenton County police Chief Bill Dorsey.

With bagpipes, a flyover, and a 21-gun salute, the police community called attention to the deaths of local police officers. The names of the slain officers include those who worked in Boone, Kenton, Campbell, Grant, Pendleton, Bracken, Harrison, Robertson, Bourbon and Nicholas counties.

The site of the memorial is near the long gone tollhouse for the suspension bridge where Thomas was shot in February 1869. He was attempting to arrest a suspected highwayman who had robbed a man on the old Lexington Turnpike. The man had a pistol hidden in his coat pocket.

McQuery was shot near the same location. A St. Louis newspaper mail clerk wanted for the slaying of a hobo in Ludlow killed the 6-foot-4 former National League baseball player in June, 1900. After shooting McQuery, the clerk jumped in the Ohio River before being arrested. He was later killed during a failed prison break.

The ceremony was the first of several local observances of Police Week.

Covington police renamed their headquarters after a retired chief and dedicated a memorial honoring fallen Covington officers.

That memorial contains 10 names. The last entry was Michael A. Partin. The 25-year-old officer died in 1998 after falling off the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge into the Ohio River while chasing a suspect.

Retired Capt. Steve Wills said the Covington police memorial was paid for with money seized from drug dealers.

The Covington police station, at Madison Avenue and 20th Street, was renamed in honor of retired Covington police Chief Lyle F. Schwartz. He is credited with modernizing the Covington force.

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E-mail jhannah@enquirer.com