JPD issues statement following death of Sgt. Warren Olden
The Jackson Police Department released statement regarding the death of Sgt. Warren Olden:
Yesterday, the City of Jackson lost a true public servant.
Sergeant Warren Olden was larger than life in many ways. At 6 foot 7 inches tall, his presence could not be ignored. But, his big heart for others is what really set him apart. Over his 29 plus year career at the Jackson Police Department, many members of our community have come to know what each of us in the JPD family knew and loved about Sergeant Olden – he truly cared about people.
Warren Olden began his service with the Jackson Police Department in August of 1994, after a stellar basketball career at Union University. He served in the Patrol Division for 3 years before being assigned to the Community Crime Reduction Unit in 1997. In this role, (then) Officer Olden excelled at Community-Oriented Policing strategies and techniques, and his ability to connect with people was amazing. His physical size may have often deterred someone from getting out of line, but his concern for their situations allowed him to speak into their lives and truly help people. He took the skills and experience he gained from the Community Crime Reduction Unit and joined the Street Crimes Unit in 2008. Again, he thrived at making an impact in our community, as his reputation as a fair and compassionate officer was known and respected. In 2011, Officer Olden transferred to the Courts and Warrants Unit where he quickly became a fixture in the courtroom. Serving as a court officer placed him in a unique position to serve those whose paths had brought them into contact with the criminal justice system. From teens cited with traffic violations, to repeat offenders facing felony charges, his ability to talk to people in the courtroom and maybe turn a bad day into a better day stood out. During his tenure as a court officer, he would use his time away from City Court to help facilitate weekend community service work for those whose convictions for minor criminal offenses required it. Just as in the courtroom, his positive attitude and caring demeanor in this role provided a safe and dignified environment for people to fulfil their community service requirement. In addition, for many years, he served as a member of the JPD Hostage Negotiation Unit. In 2014, he was promoted to Sergeant and assigned as the Supervisor of the Courts and Warrants Unit. As the senior officer in City Court, Sergeant Olden mentored and led a team of officers and civilian staff through his years of law enforcement experience and his passion for helping people. He proudly served the citizens of Jackson in this assignment until his end of watch – January 8, 2024.
The Jackson Police Department respectfully requests the community to join us in thoughtful prayer for the friends and family of Sergeant Warren Olden. As Chief of Police, I also want to ask the Jackson community to pray for Warren’s ‘blue family’ here at JPD. He will be missed by all of us, and your thoughts and prayers for our agency during this difficult time are coveted.
