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1
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, It is appropriate for us to remember the many
3sacrifices and contributions to the betterment of Illinois made
4by the outstanding men and women who have served in law
5enforcement; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Springfield Police Department was formed in
71840; since that time, ten officers have been killed in the
8line of duty, including David R. Tapscott, who died on December
926, 1979; and
 
10    WHEREAS, David Tapscott was born in Liberty, Kentucky in
111951 to George and Nettie Tapscott; he had four brothers and
12three sisters; and
 
13    WHEREAS, David Tapscott's family moved to Pleasant Plains,
14where he graduated from high school in 1969; while in high
15school, he excelled in basketball and track; after graduation,
16he worked at his brother's garage and attended Lincoln Land
17Community College; and
 
18    WHEREAS, At the age of 23, David Tapscott took the police
19department civil service exam, and in 1974, he became a proud
20member of the Springfield Police Department; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, David Tapscott loved his profession and he
2excelled at his work; he exemplified the true meaning of a
3dedicated police officer; and
 
4    WHEREAS, David Tapscott graciously and compassionately
5served the citizens of Springfield; he was well-liked by his
6fellow officers as well as the public; he worked the Second
7Watch during which he enjoyed driving the prisoner transport
8van; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24, 1979 was a
10cold, wet, rainy evening; David Tapscott planned on spending
11Christmas Day at his mother's home before heading to work; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Around 10:00 p.m. that night, David Tapscott
13responded without hesitation to a disturbance call at a north
14end Springfield tavern; and
 
15    WHEREAS, David Tapscott proceeded north on 9th Street
16behind a sheriff's deputy who was also responding to the call;
17he crossed Converse Street and headed down the hill toward the
189th Street railroad underpass; and
 
19    WHEREAS, The deputy in front of David Tapscott drove left
20of the center barrier to get around a vehicle on the right;
21David Tapscott began to follow, then realized the vehicle had

 

 

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1stopped allowing him time to pass it and pull back into the
2right northbound lane; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The lightweight prisoner transport van did not
4maneuver as well on wet surfaces and as David Tapscott
5approached the viaduct he was unable to move quickly enough to
6his right before hitting the center barrier head on; and
 
7    WHEREAS, David Tapscott was injured and was transported to
8St. John's Hospital by ambulance; and
9
10    WHEREAS, On Wednesday evening at 6:31 p.m., December 26,
111979, Officer David Tapscott passed away; and
 
12    WHEREAS, Officer David Tapscott was buried at Peter
13Cartwright Cemetery in Pleasant Plains on Saturday December 29,
141979; the police van number, LSS was retired after the accident
15and has not been used since; he was mourned by the entire
16community, even those who had never met him; therefore, be it
 
17    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
18NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
19SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the section of 9th
20Street between the intersection of East Converse Street and
21East Ridgely Street in Springfield as the "Officer David
22Tapscott Memorial Street"; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation
2is requested to erect at suitable locations, consistent with
3State and federal regulations, appropriate plaques or signs
4giving notice of the name "Officer David Tapscott Memorial
5Street"; and be it further
 
6    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
7presented to the family of Officer David Tapscott, the
8Secretary of the Illinois Department of Transportation, the
9Springfield Police Department, and the Mayor of Springfield.