Pioneering African American Policeman: A Beacon of Hope

Published  08/27/2009

by Dr. Jesse F. McClure Special to the Tri-State DefenderSeated at a table near the front at the 39th annual The LeMoyne-Owen College Gala Saturday night, retired Memphis Police captain Elmo Samuel Berkley suffered a massive heart attack just about the time guests were told that the buffet lines were open. Despite the valiant efforts of paramedics, the 83-year-old Berkley passed away. Retired Capt. Elmo Samuel Berkley was a Memphis Police Department pioneer. (Courtesy photo) With his death, a man who was a major part of Memphis history and the history of African Americans in the South moved on. Capt. Berkley, a veteran of the United States Navy, was a member of the second group of African Americans hired by the Memphis Police Department. The first African officers were hired in 1948. Starting with his appointment in 1951 and serving more than 41 years as a policeman, Berkley saw dramatic change in his city and in the MPD. In the early days of his service as a policeman, African-American officers were not allowed to arrest white people. All they could do was try to surround white suspects until a white policeman arrived to make the arrest. They called this stall technique, “the magic circle.” By the time he retired, Berkley had risen to the rank of captain and the city he had served was about to come under the direction of the first African American elected to serve as mayor. African Americans were able to serve at the highest levels of the MPD, including as director. Berkley will be buried with full honors from the Memphis Police Department. Roger Brown, director of special events at The LeMoyne Owen College, worked closely with the retired police captain for many years.  He called Berkley “Mr. LeMoyne-Owen” for the many years and many hours Berkley had given to raise funds for the historical college. “Despite his advanced age and illness, Captain Berkley had attended every weekly planning meeting for this year’s 39th Annual (The) LeMoyne-Owen College (LOC) Gala for the past three months,” said Brown. That was to be expected since Berkley had supported every one of the previous 38 Gala fund-raisers. In addition, Brown said, “Captain Berkley supported the Baptist International Tea for 50 years,” which is another LOC fund-raising effort. Berkley himself had attended Henderson Business College. Berkley was also devoted to his church, the Greater White Stone Baptist Church. There he served as a deacon (emeritus) and as the church clerk (emeritus). He was seated at the Gala table sponsored by the church on Saturday. It is said that Berkley always got his church to buy its table early,  so that he could sit close to the stage. LOC President Johnnie B. Watson told a television interviewer that as a youngster growing up in Memphis, Berkley’s service with the police force showed him and his friends that more doors were opening up for African Americans in the city. For Watson and many other African Americans in Memphis, Captain Berkley was a “Beacon of Hope” – the name of the award the college bestows at the Gala each year. Capt. Berkley leaves his wife, Dorothy Biggs Berkley, and two sons, Steven W. Berkley and Lyndon Berkley.