MIDLOTHIAN—The Midlothian City Council unanimously approved George Raffield Jr. Way as the street name for the new Midlothian Public Safety and Municipal Court facility.
Raffield was a Midlothian Officer who, while working undercover for the PD, lost his life in the line of duty in October 1987.
He had only served with the Midlothian Police Department for one year when he was murdered.
Raffield had worked with the Wilmer and Red Oak Police Departments in various capacities before he began his short career with the Midlothian Police Department. He had a young face, and since he was new to town, he took a drug-related undercover assignment at Midlothian High School. As part of the assignment, he befriended a student who was a suspect in the investigation. While befriending the suspect, he and another student discovered Raffield was an undercover officer.
Raffield was murdered when, one evening, he rode with them to a secluded area off FM 875, south of Midlothian. Once at the remote location, Raffield was shot and killed, and his body was found the following day.
It was reported the boy who pulled the trigger was Greg Knighten, the 16-year-old son of a Dallas police officer.
“As communities across our nation recognize individuals who contribute to their success, it is a worthy effort to also recognize our first responder’s sacrifice,” said Midlothian Police Chief Carl Smith. “The price of service, particularly in police, fire rescue/emergency medical response, and emergency communications, often goes unnoticed. When a member of our public safety dies or is killed in the line of duty, those left behind feel a deep sense of loss as well as gratitude for those brave souls who are willing to lay down their life in the service of the community.”
Smith said he believed the naming of the street constructed to access the City of Midlothian’s new Court and Public Safety Facility is a unique opportunity to recognize Officer Raffield and remind everyone in the community of his sacrifice.
According to Chief Smith, Carlton Stowers’ book Innocence Lost provides a well-written account of the events leading up to Officer Raffield’s death.
“The City of Midlothian has a long history of employing men and women who serve our citizens selflessly,” said Midlothian Mayor Justin Coffman. “George Raffield, Jr., was certainly a prime example of a person who placed service above self. Ultimately, he sacrificed his life in service to our community. Naming a street in his memory is a small but very tangible way to honor him and his family, as well as the legacy of service he left behind.”
Additionally, while the new George W. Raffield Jr. Way leads to the City of Midlothian’s beautiful new facility, it will also lead citizens to a Memorial Plaza that will host a memorial designed to recognize the sacrifice of the city’s first responders.
“Within the plaza, additional recognition for Community Heros who give their lives is being designed to provide lasting individual honor for their lives of service and sacrifice,” Smith concluded.
You can visit the Memorial Page on the Midlothian Police Department’s website at https://www.midlothian.tx.us/479/Memorial-Page.
