OF DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT LOWELL ROGERS. TODAY IS A SOMBER DAY IN THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM, AND FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT THROUGHOUT THE PIEDMONT TRIAD, 17 YEARS AGO, WE LOST SERGEANT HOWARD PLOUFF. KENNY BECK IS IN STUDIO WITH A LOOK AT HOW THE COMMUNITY IS HONORING HIM. KENNY. LINDSAY HOWARD PLOUFF WAS A HUSBAND, A FATHER OF TWO, AND A 17 YEAR VETERAN OF THE WAR. SPD AND WHILE THIS MORNING’S CEREMONY AT POLICE HEADQUARTERS WAS UNQUESTIONABLY SOMBER, THE CURRENT POLICE CHIEF COULDN’T HELP BUT SMILE WHEN HE THOUGHT BACK ON THE MAN THAT SERGEANT PLOUFF WAS. WE MADE A PROMISE TO EVERYONE WHO COMES TO THIS AGENCY. WE WILL NEVER FORGET THEM. WE WILL NEVER FORGET THEIR SACRIFICE AND TODAY IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF US HONORING THAT PROMISE WITH RAINDROPS FALLING LIGHTLY ON THE CITY’S POLICE MEMORIAL AND HIS BROTHERS IN BLUE LOOKING ON, THE WPD FAMILY SPENT FRIDAY HONORING SERGEANT HOWARD PLOUFF EARLY IN THE MORNING OF FEBRUARY 23RD, 2007, SERGEANT PLOUFF GAVE HIS LIFE ASSISTING SHERIFF’S DEPUTIES AS THEY RESPONDED TO A FIGHT INSIDE A NIGHTCLUB THAT ESCALATED INTO A SHOOTING. OUTSIDE OF IT, CURRENT POLICE CHIEF WILLIAM PENN FONDLY REMEMBERS HIS BRIEF TIME WORKING WITH HIM. I WAS WORKING A DIFFERENT SQUAD AND HIS SQUAD WAS SHORT, SO I HAD TO WORK WITH HIS SQUAD FOR A WEEK AND HAD A GREAT TIME AND HE PPICKED ON ME THE WHOLE WEEK. SO EVERY TIME I SAW HIM AFTER THAT, HE WOULD ALWAYS ASK ME IF I WAS READY TO COME TO A REAL SQUAD BECAUSE HE KNEW HE HAD A GREAT SQUAD AND I WOULD ALWAYS LAUGH BECAUSE MY SUPERVISOR WOULD BE NEAR ME, SO I COULDN’T TELL HIM, YEAH, I LIKE WORKING WITH YOU. HE WAS JUST A FUNNY GUY AND EVERYBODY, ALL HIS SQUAD MATES, EVERYBODY WHO WORKED WITH HIM, THEY NEVER WANTED TO WORK ANYWHERE ELSE. HE WAS THAT TYPE OF LEADER. SERGEANT PLOUFF WAS JUST 41 YEARS OLD AND LEFT BEHIND A WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS. THE CHIEF’S MESSAGE TO THEM IS SIMPLE. WE WILL NEVER FORGET THAT WE ARE HERE FOR YOU AND YOU ARE PART OF OUR FAMILY FOREVER. AND AS IF TODAY WASN’T DIFFICULT ENOUGH FOR THE PLOUFF FAMILY, THE MAN CONVICTED OF SECOND DEGREE MURDER IN THIS CASE IS NOW OUT OF PRISON. KEITH CARTE
Winston-Salem Police Department holds event in honor of fallen officer 17 years after killing
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Updated: 5:18 PM EST Feb 23, 2024
The Winston-Salem Police Department is honoring a fallen officer after he was killed in the line of duty 17 years ago.On Friday, a wreath-laying ceremony was held in honor of Sgt. Howard Plouff at the memorial outside of the police department's Public Safety Center.Top StoriesPassengers describe 'chaotic' moments after man tries to open emergency door on flightWinston-Salem juvenile hit by car after getting off school bus on Cole Road, police sayAlamance County mother, daughter duo renovate buses into small homes as a way to 'Live Simply'Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereWinston-Salem Police Chief William Penn said he made a promise to never forget Plouff and cherishes his legacy every day."He was just a funny guy. All of his squadmates and everybody who worked with him never wanted to work with anyone else. He was that type of leader," Penn said. Officers said the honor guard will be on site until 7 p.m.On Feb. 23, 2007, around 2 a.m., four law enforcement officers were working off-duty security at the now-closed Red Rooster nightclub on Jonestown Road in Winston-Salem. A fight broke out during that time, and shots were fired. One of the shots hit Plouff, killing him. On Wednesday, the man convicted of killing him, Keith Carter, was released from prison. His release was mandatory due to sentencing guidelines at the time. Carter is now on post-release supervision.Plouff was survived by his wife and two daughters. Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsNAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |Top Stories:Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — The Winston-Salem Police Department is honoring a fallen officer after he was killed in the line of duty 17 years ago.
On Friday, a wreath-laying ceremony was held in honor of Sgt. Howard Plouff at the memorial outside of the police department's Public Safety Center.
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Winston-Salem Police Chief William Penn said he made a promise to never forget Plouff and cherishes his legacy every day.
"He was just a funny guy. All of his squadmates and everybody who worked with him never wanted to work with anyone else. He was that type of leader," Penn said.
Officers said the honor guard will be on site until 7 p.m.
On Feb. 23, 2007, around 2 a.m., four law enforcement officers were working off-duty security at the now-closed Red Rooster nightclub on Jonestown Road in Winston-Salem. A fight broke out during that time, and shots were fired. One of the shots hit Plouff, killing him.
On Wednesday, the man convicted of killing him, Keith Carter, was released from prison. His release was mandatory due to sentencing guidelines at the time. Carter is now on post-release supervision.
Plouff was survived by his wife and two daughters.
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