By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Already facing some adversity, a teenager Reginald Anthony Fields was trying to adjust to life without his grandmother.
Going to spend some time with his grandfather, the Rosemark native had his world rocked even more that night. But the moment of tragedy was a blessing in disguise. The man known in Millington today as Reggie and Officer/Inspector Fields said God exposed him to his destiny by meeting Lt. Clyde Barker.
“He is the one that when I was a kid I was at home living with my parents,” Fields recalled. “I just started high school. I had spent the night with my grandfather because grandmother had passed. He wanted me to spend a night. And that very same night our home was burglarized.”
That very moment sparked an interest for Fields to join law enforcement. Last Thursday dozens of colleagues collaborated with City of Millington leaders to honor Fields on his retirement from the Millington Police Department after 35 years of service.
Flashback to that day at his parent’s home, Fields went from feeling like a victim to being empowered by the presence of Barker.
“So we called the Sheriff’s Department because we were living out in the county,” he recalled. “They did their report and the next day then Lt. Baker was assigned from the detective division. So he followed up on the burglary. When he came out he and dad were just talking, talking and talking.
“So I was nosy little rascal,” Fields continued. “I asked, ‘Dad who is that?’ He told me and I just started admiring his uniform. He was in plain clothes so I just started admiring his coat badge. I was admiring the questions he was asking.”
Then Reggie and his parents Carl Sr. and Susie Fields witnessed Barker taking action and living up to the creed of protecting and serving.
“The last thing he said before coming out of our house, ‘I’m going up there now,’” Fields said. “‘We have cars in route and I am about to go up there and I’m going to lock him up.’ Man, when I stepped out the house, he had about 15 sheriff’s deputy cars right up the street from my house because that’s where the suspect lived. They recovered everything he stole from my parent’s house. I was so impressed with the way he operated. And that inspired me to become a police officer.”
Other hats Fields has worn since that day were graduate of Bolton High School, member of the Army Reserves, husband of Arlene Fields, father of daughters Sharolyn and Carla Fields and faithful member of Oak Spring Baptist Church in Arlington. Ironically Fields was honored for his retirement in the Baker Community Center. Several stepped to the podium to recognize Fields and pay tribute to the man he is like Millington Chamber’s Terry Roland, District Attorney Amy Weirich, Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner, Bartlett Police Chief Jeff Cox, Millington City Manager Ed Haley, Millington Mayor Terry Jones, Debra Sigee and a few past colleagues.
“I really wanted to cry because I am just glad he made it,” Susie Fields said. “It is a blessing what they’ve all said about him. I didn’t let him hang out at night and I would tell him in addition to whatever job you have do your best, ‘No matter what treat other people with respect.’ I’ve always raised him up in church, so I give credit to the All Mighty too. Without Him this day would not be possible.”
Reggie took the lesson taught by his parents of respect to heart. It was the foundation of his policing style when he joined the Millington Police Department Reserves in 1986. Two years later he became a full-serving officer.
“I would be so nervous at night,” Mother Fields recalled. “Sometimes I couldn’t sleep worrying about him know how things are now. I would just worry about it.
“It is a blessing, just a blessing he was never shot or had to shoot anyone,” she added. “It means so much when you can say that today.”
Reggie’s wife of 38 years Arlene felt her husband would be covered by a Higher Power when he made the decision to chase his dream.
“He was going to Millington so I thought his decision was great,” she recalled.
But over the years and as Reggie moved up the ranks, the couple had to adjust to life in law enforcement.
“Not home, being home a lot alone taking care of things,” Arlene noted. “I had to be by myself a lot balancing things for him while he was working. He didn’t have to worry about anything or activities. He did worry about us being home alone but we stayed in consistent contact by him checking in to make sure we were OK.”
Sharolyn and Carla are now educators teaching in the area after graduating from Millington Central High School and Middle Tennessee State University.
“I am so proud of my two daughters,” Reggie said. “When my wife and I sent them off to school at MTSU, when they told us they wanted to be teachers I was all for that. We edge them along and edge them along.”
Reggie said his parents were always supportive of him and his two brothers in their careers.
“I think God both of my parents are here and that they are in their right minds and are able to walk,” he said. “That is just a blessing right there. My mom still cooks for me every Sunday after church. We know after church we’re going straight to mom’s house.”
Family members of Fields took up three tables during the retirement ceremony. Arlene took a moment to reflect on her husband’s approach to the job and home. She said the Reggie that colleague spoke about at the party was the Reggie they got at home.
“It was all true,” she said. “He’s a mild-mattered person and an outstanding person. He’s great to be around. Now when he came home, he knew how to communicate. He didn’t bring the job home. He calmed down and had family time.”
But Reggie’s time on the MPD force was productive and historic.
He is the first black officer to retire from the Millington Police Department. Also Fields was the first MPD black lieutenant, inspector and detective. He was named officer of the year multiple times.
“Being a black officer dealing with us (black people) for the most part you need to show them respect,” Fields noted. “As a young officer here starting off, I saw a lot of disrespecting our young black men. I said if I ever get into a position to change that I am.
“My motto as an officer when I got promoted to supervisor was ‘None of my officers were going to violate anybody,’” he continued. “If they wanted to fight while the handcuffs were off, the fight was on. But once the handcuffs were applied, the ballgame is over. You better not hit anyone when they’re in handcuffs. For the most part I got a lot of respect because I gave a lot of respect. It works both ways. If you give respect, you’ll get respect.”
Mom’s and dad’s life lesson set the table for Field’s ceremony.
“This is a great honor,” Fields said. “If you guys only knew. You’ll find out when your time gets here. It feels so good to have served the city of Millington for the years I did. There again I am going to miss the people I’ve worked with. But I am going to enjoy retirement just as much. That will give me more time to do things at the house I need to catch up on, do for these girls. These girls are my life and I do everything for them.”
His wife has served in education and now his daughters are a part of teaching youth. Fields said it is time for him to serve them more but he wants to leave a couple of lessons for future officers in Millington.
“One thing I want them to honor, you always treat people the way you wanted to be treated,” he said. “I don’t care who they are. Sometimes people are in a situation they can’t get out of. Regardless of their situation always treat them as a human being.
“And never tarnish that badge,” Fields concluded. “That’s my biggest thing. If you tarnish that badge you should have triple the punishment of a regular citizen. If you get out here doing something stupid, selling drugs, participating in any kind of illegal activity? Send you prison. I don’t want to see you anymore.”
