Nearly 140 years after he was killed in the line of duty, Black Hawk’s first city marshal, Robert Clark, was honored Wednesday along with current officers who made sure that his sacrifice would be remembered.
Records recently uncovered by Black Hawk Police Chief Stephen Cole and his staff proved the marshal was gunned down in the line of duty on July 10, 1869, trying to arrest two brothers wanted for beating a restaurant cook who complained about their rowdy behavior.
Wednesday was declared “Black Hawk Police Recognition Day” to honor Clark and current law officers’ successful effort to have his name added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington.
Clark became the earliest line-of-duty death for a Colorado law enforcement officer listed on the national memorial, according to city officials.
