Greg Murphy has spent the past 22 years volunteering his time to protect and serve Jackson County.
He started as a reserve officer with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department in 1998, working at least six hours a week.
While he doesn’t get paid, Murphy, 54, keeps doing it because he likes the work and serving alongside the other reserve officers, sheriff and full-time officers.
He also doesn’t do the work to earn awards, but he appreciates being named the Jerry Hounshel Reserve Officer of the Year for the second year in a row. Sheriff Rick Meyer recently made that announcement.
"Oh, I appreciate it so much," Murphy said. "We’ve got a bunch of new guys down there that came in with (Meyer), and they are so good. When I went off my shift (Sunday) night, Jordan Hawn thanked me for coming on and doing everything I did because we had a couple calls. I just appreciate them and the administration, everything. They are very good."
The award is named in honor of the former sheriff who Meyer hired in January 2019 as a special deputy to serve court documents for the department. Hounshel started with the department Jan. 1, 1977, and was sheriff from 1998 to 2006.
"I didn’t expect to get it the first time and sure didn’t expect to get it the second time because we’ve got a bunch of good reserves down there that do their part just like I do and they care, so for me to get it again was amazing," Murphy said of the award. "I was totally blown away by it."
Murphy grew up in Jonesville and attended Columbus East High School. He then worked for Mariah Packing in Columbus until he turned 21 and was hired as transportation manager for JayC Food Stores in Seymour.
He started there in 1988 and is in the same position today, except it’s now called Ruler Foods.
He said he got into reserving because of his cousin, Steve Murphy, who was volunteering with the sheriff’s department. His father, David Murphy, also was an influence since he was on the volunteer fire department in Jonesville.
"It’s just something Murphys kind of do for some reason," he said.
Murphy took his 40-hour prebasic training class in Washington County. His training officer worked every Sunday, so once he was on his own, Murphy continued to reserve on that day of the week.
"I only took a couple Sundays off, and that was just because I was on vacation," he said. "Last year was my wife and I’s 35th wedding anniversary, so we went to California, and you can’t do that in a week. It takes you two weeks."
Murphy has worked for five sheriffs: Herschel Baughman, Hounshel, Marc Lahrman, Mike Carothers and Meyer. He took on different projects with them, including the SWAT team when Hounshel was sheriff and helping with truancy issues.
"Different sheriffs have done different things for me, and I really appreciate it," Murphy said. "I’ve liked all of them. I’ve had a good relationship with all of them."
He also works well with the 11 other reserve officers and the full-time officers.
"There is a close bond down there," Murphy said. "Just being good friends with them, they would do anything to save my life, and I’d do anything to back them up and save their life."
Murphy said he has received other awards over the years, including 2004 when he and Charles Metz received the Governor’s Heroism Award, were presented with an Indiana House Concurrent Resolution proclaiming them A Hoosier Hero and were recognized by Hounshel.
On Feb. 7, 2004, they rescued one person and attempted to rescue two others trapped in an overturned, submerged vehicle. The accident occurred on State Road 250 near County Road 950E when the vehicle missed a curve and overturned in a ditch filled with 10 to 15 feet of icy water.
Metz was the first person on scene, and Murphy was off duty at the time but heard the report on the police scanner and went to help since he lived in nearby Uniontown.
"Metz busted out the back window and got the girl out. They were just getting out when I got there," Murphy said. "Then I just went in and didn’t think anything about it. I had to bust the ice to get to the doors."
Helping people is in his nature, and that’s why Murphy continues to serve as a reserve.
Plus, he’s inspired by his dad, who turned 77 Monday, and mom, Eileen, who soon will be 77, because they both still work.
"That’s all my mom and dad have done their whole life is work," Greg said.
"I’ll keep doing it as long as I can, until I get too old and feeble to do it," he said, laughing, about reserving.
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Name: Greg Murphy
Age: 54
Hometown: Jonesville
Residence: Uniontown
Education: Attended Columbus East High School
Occupation: Transportation manager for Ruler Foods and reserve officer for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department
Family: Wife, Lynn Murphy; daughters, Amanda (Kyle) Wilp and Julie (Jake) Toppe; grandchildren, Olivia Wilp, Aubree Wilp, Lukas Toppe and Brantley Toppe; parents, David and Eileen Murphy
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Jerry Hounshel Reserve Officer of the Year
1992: Robert Lucas
1993: Charles Foster
1994: James R. Hirtzel
2019: Greg Murphy
2020: Greg Murphy
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