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Sad news struck Winchester late on Sunday night.

Sgt. Marty Jackson, former chief of the Winchester Police Department (WPD), passed away Sunday evening. 

The WPD released a statement on its Facebook page: 

“The Winchester Police Department and the City of Winchester have lost a fixture of our community tonight. Former Chief and current Sergeant William Marty Jackson II…passed away today after succumbing to health issues following a line-of-duty event,” the post reads. “Marty served as a law enforcement professional for 50 years. The family wants to thank the first responders, the medical professionals, and everyone who had a hand in his care tonight. The family wants everyone to know that Marty is in the arms of his Savior, Jesus Christ, and they thank everyone for their love, prayers, and support.” 

The WPD also updated its profile page with a picture honoring Jackson. 

Jackson was long associated with the city of Winchester, having begun working in the city in 1978 following a short stint in Paris. 

Jackson’s love of law enforcement continued after retiring as Chief in 2008, returning as sergeant a few months later. 

Among his many duties, he spent many years providing traffic control outside the site of Robert D. Campbell Junior High School on Boone Avenue – formerly the location of George Rogers Clark High School – where he ensured that multiple vehicles entered and exited the premises timely and safely on a daily basis, thereby also ensuring the safety of drivers. 

Jackson, declaring it to be his way of providing community services, was inspired to do so after seeing a traffic jam when dropping off his teenage daughter one particular school day. 

News of Jackson’s death traveled fast, with over 1300 responses and 1100 shares of the Facebook post within eight hours, though the post was created near midnight. 

Among the many individuals responding to the post were current Winchester City Commissioner Hannah Toole, Clark County Road Supervisor Allan Curtis, and Clark County Coroner Neal Oliver. 

Others left messages paying tribute to Jackson. 

“The GBA family joins the entire Winchester Community in mourning the unexpected passing of Marty Jackson. He will be missed by many in the community. Please keep his family in your prayers” reads a post on Grace Bible Academy’s Facebook page. 

“We at Elev8 Entertainment offer our deepest sympathies out to our hometown community of Winchester, KY, the Winchester Police Department and most of all the family of former Police Chief Marty Jackson,” stated the organization on its Facebook page. “Marty will definitely be [missed] by so many. Thank you for your years of service. Marty continued to work beyond [retirement] to serve and protect the community he loved. Marty was a fixture in this community. Our prayers are with his wife, daughters, and grandchildren as he was a very loving and devoted [father] and [grandfather]. Rest in peace Marty[.] [Heaven] has gained a great treasure.” 

As stated in the WPD’s Facebook page, funeral arrangements are incomplete as of Monday morning and will be updated on the organization’s social media page.