On Dec. 12, also known as "Officer Kevin Apple Day," the Pea Ridge Police Department will unveil a permanent memorial for the officer killed in 2021.
The ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday morning at the White Oak State parking lot. The department also asked the community to "turn the city blue" to celebrate the life of Officer Apple.
Ace Hardware in Pea Ridge is offering one free blue lightbulb per customer to honor Officer Apple in an effort to help everyone in the city to take part in turning the city blue on Monday.
Officer Apple was killed on June 26, 2021, while responding to a suspicious vehicle at a gas station. He was struck and killed by a car driven by then-22-year-old Shawna Cash. Cash and another person, later identified as Elijah Andazola, have been charged with capital murder.
"He was a picture-perfect officer, he really was. It’s hard to say that because I know everybody says this person was great, but he really was," said Lynn Hahn, Pea Ridge Chief of Police on the one-year anniversary of his death.
"Everybody loved Kevin Apple, he was a jokester, he liked to joke with people and have a good time while also did his job. Obviously, he made up of the sacrifice here doing his job."
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