Officer Foster Hite Receives Theodore Roosevelt Association Police Award
Aggressive Driving Team Officer Foster Hite today became the eighth member of the Metropolitan Police Department to receive the Theodore Roosevelt Association Police Award, which is given to a police officer who has rendered outstanding and praiseworthy service to the department and the community despite a serious handicap, illness or injury.
In late 1994, after 17 years of dedicated service to the Metropolitan Police Department and the Nashville community, Hite was stricken with devastating kidney failure. His debilitating condition caused him to leave the profession he loved. He was granted a medical disability pension in 1995.
Hite's illness necessitated surgery to prepare him for a long regimen of nightly outpatient dialysis. He remained on dialysis for two years and, during that time, was admitted to five ten-day stints in the hospital. The kidney disease and dialysis brought on other illnesses, including peritonitis, high blood pressure, complications from catheter surgery, blood clotting issues, a mildly damaged heart and pneumonia. Hite's weight plummeted to 120 pounds. At Christmas, doctors told Hite that it might be his last unless he underwent a kidney transplant. Believing that his life was nearing an end, Hite began making personal arrangements for the well being of his family.
On September 14, 1996, Hite was notified that he would get a second chance at life. Travis Devlin, a 13-year-old in San Diego, died. His parents wanted his organs donated, and one of his kidneys proved to be a match for Foster Hite. Following successful surgery, Hite began the struggle to recover, with a strong determination to return to the profession he was forced to leave. In March of 2003, Hite graduated from the Metropolitan Police Academy for the second time. After working as a patrol officer in the Central Precinct, he is now assigned to the department's Aggressive Driving Team where, Hite says, his mission is simple: "I slow people down and save lives."
Hite, 50, and his wife, Sherry, have been married for 32 years. They are the proud parents of Abby Connell of New Mexico, whose husband, Christopher, will soon deploy with his military unit to Iraq.
"Foster Hite's love of police work, his overwhelming desire to make a difference in the lives of Nashvillians and his bright daily smile make him an inspiration to all of us," Chief Ronal Serpas said. "I am very grateful to the Theodore Roosevelt Association's Jim Summerville and his colleagues for recognizing Officer Hite and his daily contributions to our city."
The Theodore Roosevelt Association established this awards program in honor of Theodore Roosevelt's distinguished service as President of the Board of Police Commissioners of New York City from 1895 to 1897, and in recognition of his lifelong admiration for the police.
Nashville is one of a handful of cities in the United States to present the Roosevelt Award. Others include New York City, Buffalo and upstate New York, Boston, Long Island, Dallas and Philadelphia.
The generous support of Nextel Communications makes this year's award possible. Through Nextel's generosity, and that of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, Officer Hite will receive a $1,000 cash award, a medal, and a bust of Theodore Roosevelt. A bronze plaque, which bears a likeness of Roosevelt, and which is currently on display in the lobby of police headquarters, will now include the inscription of Officer Hite's name.
Past Metro Police recipients of the Theodore Roosevelt Award were Sgt. Phillip Sage (1998), Detective Clifford Mann (1999), Detective Frank Pierce (2000), Sergeant James (Jimbo) Allen (2001), Officer William Richardson (2002), Detective Joe Cooper (2003) and Officer Horace Temple (2004).
Information about the activities of the Theodore Roosevelt Association is available on the Internet, http://www.theodoreroosevelt.org.
Nextel Communication's Brenda Wilt presents Officer Hite and
his wife, Sherry, with a $1,000 check in honor Hite receiving the Theodore
Roosevelt Association Police Award.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Trustee James Summerville (left)
presents a medal to Officer Foster Hite.
Theodore Roosevelt Association Trustee Bruce Holley presents
a bust of Roosevelt to Officer Hite.
Chief Ronal Serpas spoke of his pride in Officer Hite's commitment
to police service.
Pictured with Officer Hite are (l-r) Nextel Communication's Brenda
Wilt, Roosevelt Association Trustee James Summerville, Chief Ronal Serpas,
Officer Hite, Sherry Hite and Roosevelt Association Trustee Bruce Holley.