Last Saturday, an emotional ceremony under the somber Austin sky added the name of White Settlement Police Department Captain DeWitt "Wid" Spivey to the Texas Peace Officers’ Memorial Wall, seventy long years after his untimely passing. The event marked a belated recognition of Spivey's sacrifice, who suffered a fatal heart attack in the line of duty back on March 12, 1955, while responding to a homicide scene. His name now etched in memory, the service in Austin served as a reminder of the ultimate price he paid while serving his community.
Spivey, the acting Police Chief at the time of his death, had a storied career in law enforcement, with posts at the Comanche County, Texas Sheriff’s Office and as Chief of Police in DeLeon, Texas prior to his service in White Settlement. In a statement posted on the White Settlement Police Department's social media, Chief of Police Christopher Cook said, "Our team is honored to remember the life and legacy of Captain DeWitt Wid Spivey." He added that upon hearing Spivey's story, they "worked diligently over the past two years to research the case so that Captain Spivey could finally get the recognition and honors that he deserved as an honorable Texas Peace Officer."
The initial push for recognition began with a submission to the Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP) by Chief Cook on March 15, 2023, which, after thorough vetting, was accepted. This led to further acknowledgment at both the state and national levels, including Spivey's forthcoming addition to the National Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., according to a report from the White Settlement Police Department.
