Video summary
The funeral services for former Pikeville Police Chief James G. Justice were held today at the JW Call Funeral Home in Pikeville to honor a man who dedicated 28 years to law enforcement in his community. His career began as a patrol officer and culminated in an eleven-year tenure as Chief of Police, during which he established enduring standards for the department. Colleagues remember him not only for his impressive physical presence as a tall, muscular individual who was always impeccably dressed and clean-shaven, but also for his sharp intellect and ability to speak well despite having stepped away from active duty for some time.
Former colleagues describe Chief Justice as an intimidating yet incredibly friendly figure who maintained a positive demeanor throughout his life. Even after retiring, he remained active in the community, frequently visiting police departments for training updates and working part-time at Rural King, where he continued to interact warmly with people. His influence extended beyond his direct service, as he brought significant assets to the department, including extensive training programs and resources that were previously unavailable. He holds the distinction of being the first Peace Officer Professional Standards certified officer in Kentucky, a milestone that sets a high precedent for current officers who are proud of his legacy.
The ceremony included traditional honors befitting a decorated public servant, featuring a three-shot volley and the playing of taps to mark the solemnity of the occasion. His family received a ceremonial folded flag as a symbol of their service and sacrifice, while his procession was driven under a raised flag down Hambly Boulevard in a final tribute to his career. The community gathered to celebrate a life defined by integrity, leadership, and a deep commitment to protecting Pikeville, ensuring that his contributions to law enforcement and the people he served are remembered with respect and gratitude.
Read the full video transcript
The funeral for former Pikeville Police
Chief, James G. Justice, was held today
at the JW Call Funeral Home in
Pikeville.
Justice served 28 years with the
department, beginning as a patrol
officer and eventually serving 11 years
as Chief of Police.
>> Former Chief Justice was the police
chief about three police chiefs before I
arrived at the PD in 2009. And even
though there was a few that was after
him before I got there in '09, he still
came by the PD all the time. I remember
just what a intimidating presence he was
to me because he was this big, tall,
muscular guy. He's always dressed real
nice. He clean-shaved. He talked real
well.
He was still really, really sharp with
everything going on in law enforcement
world, training. Somehow he would know
about, you know, up to that training
even though
he had been out of law enforcement for a
while. So, uh
it was that's how I got to meet him. And
then, afterwards, you know, I would I
would run into him everywhere. Maybe at
a church service or he worked for a
little while as a retirement job at
Rural King. And I'd talk to him there.
And he was just always friendly nice. He
had such a good turn to him. Such a good
demeanor.
>> Branham said Justice set the standard
for how the department does business
today.
>> He set a precedent for a lot of us.
And he actually brought a lot of things
to the PD that we didn't have. Lots of
training, lots of assets. A lot of
people probably read he was the first
pop certified officer in Kentucky. And
that's the Peace Officer Professional
Standards. So, we uh
we're very proud
of James and we're hoping to honor him
in the future in a few different ways,
too.
>> Justice was honored with a three-shot
volley and the playing of taps.
>> Fire.
Fire.
>> His family was presented with a
ceremonial folded flag and his
procession was driven under a raised
flag down Hambly Boulevard. Reporting
for Mountain Top News, I'm Robin
Tillman.