Palazzo proposes McKeithen honor

Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4) has introduced a bill to designate the Biloxi’s downtown post office as the “Robert S. McKeithen Post Office Building.”

The Biloxi police officer was gunned down outside the Lopez-Quave Public Safety Center on May 5, 2019.

Officer McKeithen graduated from the University of Mississippi and went on to serve in the U.S. Air Force, where he earned the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Force Achievement Medal. He retired from the Air Force as a Tech Sergeant.

After his service in the Air Force, McKeithen became an officer and worked at the Biloxi Police Department for 24 years. A testament to his selfless nature, Robert was one of 13 officers in the Department honored with the Medal of Valor for his rescue efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

“Robert McKeithen began his career in service to this great nation and ended it in service to south Mississippi. He was a man dedicated to helping others, always ready to lend a hand,” Congressman Palazzo said. “He was a man who made his family, state, and nation proud. The memory of Officer Robert McKeithen will live on forever in Biloxi, and in the hearts of every life he touched. I am inspired by his spirit of service and strength of character. A great man and officer was taken too soon, but he will never be forgotten.”

“The Biloxi Police Department enjoys an excellent relationship with our community, and to name this important building for a fallen Biloxi police officer speaks volumes,” said Biloxi Police Chief John Miller. “This is an honor for our entire city, and especially for the McKeithen family.”

Added Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich: “What’s so fitting about this is that the Post Office building also houses the city’s Human Resources Division, and Robert McKeithen, we now know, was one of this community’s best human resources. This will be a daily reminder of his dedication to his community and our respect for law enforcement.”

Officer McKeithen was a husband, father, stepfather, and mentor. Congressman Palazzo is a sixth-term member of the House of Representatives and a long-standing advocate for America’s law enforcement in Congress. He is a co-sponsor of the Thin Blue Line Act and has supported legislation such as the JUSTICE Act, which is designed to ensure law enforcement officers have the necessary tools to do their jobs and return home safely.