Several members of the community gathered Wednesday, September 24th around 3pm to welcome home the body of Officer Bryan K. Baptist.
The 49 year old Jacksonville police officer passed suddenly over the weekend during a trip to Wisconsin. He appeared to die of natural causes. Along Morton Ave American flags flew above the traffic and several emergency vehicles could be seen stationed along side the road. Law enforcement, fire departments, friends, family and other members of the community stood by in silence to honor Officer Baptist as a convoy of police vehicles and fire trucks escorted him home.
Officer Baptist was a 20 year veteran of the police force. He was in the Basic Law Enforcement Class #2272 at the Police Training Institute in Champaign, graduating in February 2005. He was selected for the Special Response Team in December 2007. He was assigned to the ILEAS Mobile Field Force in 2008 and was assigned to the first Jacksonville Street Crimes Unit from 2009-2012.
He received letters of commendation for exceptional work in 2011 and 2023 and was named Officer of the Month in February 2018. Brian was promoted to Sergeant on June 22, 2014, and served in that capacity until his passing. He had planned to retire in November 2025.
He married his wife, Jennifer Stevens on September 28, 2001, at Bethel Baptist Church in Chandlerville. They have two children, Makenna Nicole and Daxton Keith.
A celebration of life is scheduled for Sunday, September 28 at1:30 p.m at the Midwest Athletic Center. Family will meet friends from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Those attending are encouraged to wear Hawaiian shirts or their favorite sports team shirts.