Maryland Heights Officer Who Was Shot in 2010 Reflects During Police Week

National Police Week always holds a special place in the heart of police officers and other law enforcement individuals across the country, but for Joe Eagan, a Maryland Heights Police Officer and Florissant City Councilman, it’s a truly special time.

“There is nothing like this week, to see artifacts and notes people left at the [National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial] wall,” Eagan said. “It’s a very moving week.”

The memorial sits in Washington D.C. and lists the names of federal, state and local officers who have been killed in the line of duty. Eagan said he visited the memorial 10 years ago.

Eagan hails from a law enforcement family with his brother, brother-in-law, daughter and cousin all working police officers and knows the dangers of the job all too well.

In late 2010, Eagan was shot in the face in the line of duty while doing surveillance work in Jennings. Since that time, he’s had eight to nine surgeries to try to add bone, repair nerves and other damage done from the shooting.

“It was a poignant moment in my life and career,” Eagan said. “I will always have some pain in my lip and jaw area.”

Although Eagan continues to heal from the shooting, he still awaits an outcome on the case involving the man arrested for the shooting, he said.

Evan Lockhart was arrested and charged with the crime. Since early 2011, the pretrial conference for the case has been rescheduled a number of times. The next pretrial conference is set for Thursday with a jury trial slated to start July 8.

The other two men arrested for their involvement have been sentenced, Eagan said.

Eagan has not returned to the Washington D.C. memorial wall since his shooting, but he hopes to return next year.

Eagan has continued to make connections to other officers injured in the line of duty, such as Florissant Police Officer Mike Vernon, who was shot and paralyzed last year.

“I know people on that wall, and I’m happy I’m not one of them,” he said.