| Officer Berchman White End of Watch August 4, 1941 |
Berchman L. White was appointed to the South Norfolk Police
Department in February, 1940 at the age of 34. Officer White was
assigned to South Norfolk as a Uniformed Patrol Officer for the
eighteen months following his appointment.
Officer White was originally a resident of Goldsboro, North Carolina.
He moved to Virginia and became a resident of South Norfolk.
Officer White resided at 1324 Decatur Street with his wife, Beatrice
Holloman White, and two daughters, Joan, age 7 and Kay, age 5.
Officer White had many varied and interesting positions prior to
becoming a South Norfolk police officer including being a fire fighter
with the South Norfolk Fire Department.
On August 4, 1941, Officer White and Sergeant E. S. Overman were
dispatched to transport a 37 year old male prisoner to the Norfolk
County Jail.
The prisoner was sentenced by the South Norfolk Trial Justice Court
to six months in jail for drunkenness and escape from custody.
According to witnesses, the prisoner was quiet from the courthouse
in South Norfolk to the Norfolk County Jail parking lot.
As the vehicle approached the jail, the prisoner became very
disorderly. The prisoner, riding in the rear of the vehicle, reached
over the front seat and grabbed Sergeant Overman's service
revolver from his holster.
The prisoner then turned the weapon on Officer White and fired it.
The bullet struck Officer White near the right eye.
Sergeant Overman grabbed the weapon and began to wrestle with
the prisoner to regain control of the situation. His attempt to regain
the weapon failed.
The prisoner was able to maintain control of the weapon and turned it
on himself, firing a bullet into his own head.
Officer White was pronounced dead in a Portsmouth hospital
approximately one hour after the shooting. The prisoner died August
9, in the King's Daughter's Hospital..
Department in February, 1940 at the age of 34. Officer White was
assigned to South Norfolk as a Uniformed Patrol Officer for the
eighteen months following his appointment.
Officer White was originally a resident of Goldsboro, North Carolina.
He moved to Virginia and became a resident of South Norfolk.
Officer White resided at 1324 Decatur Street with his wife, Beatrice
Holloman White, and two daughters, Joan, age 7 and Kay, age 5.
Officer White had many varied and interesting positions prior to
becoming a South Norfolk police officer including being a fire fighter
with the South Norfolk Fire Department.
On August 4, 1941, Officer White and Sergeant E. S. Overman were
dispatched to transport a 37 year old male prisoner to the Norfolk
County Jail.
The prisoner was sentenced by the South Norfolk Trial Justice Court
to six months in jail for drunkenness and escape from custody.
According to witnesses, the prisoner was quiet from the courthouse
in South Norfolk to the Norfolk County Jail parking lot.
As the vehicle approached the jail, the prisoner became very
disorderly. The prisoner, riding in the rear of the vehicle, reached
over the front seat and grabbed Sergeant Overman's service
revolver from his holster.
The prisoner then turned the weapon on Officer White and fired it.
The bullet struck Officer White near the right eye.
Sergeant Overman grabbed the weapon and began to wrestle with
the prisoner to regain control of the situation. His attempt to regain
the weapon failed.
The prisoner was able to maintain control of the weapon and turned it
on himself, firing a bullet into his own head.
Officer White was pronounced dead in a Portsmouth hospital
approximately one hour after the shooting. The prisoner died August
9, in the King's Daughter's Hospital..