Joplin police to dedicate Rangeline bridge in honor of Corporal Ben Cooper

The Joplin Police Department would like to formally invite members of the media and the general public to the Corporal Ben Cooper Memorial Bridge dedication ceremony that will be held on Friday, October 27th, at 3:00 p.m. The ceremony will take place on the southeast side of the Rangeline bridge that crosses over the CPKC Railway. Parking will be available at Derailed Commodity, located at 3001 S. Rangeline Road in Joplin.

On March 8th, 2022, Corporal Ben Cooper fell in the line of duty after attempting to arrest a suspect who was involved in a disturbance and attempted theft near 4th and Geneva Avenue. During the struggle, Corporal Cooper suffered gunshot wounds and was unable to survive his injuries.

Earlier this year, Missouri State Representative Lane Roberts sponsored legislation that would memorialize a bridge in honor of the sacrifice paid by Corporal Ben Cooper. On July 6th, 2023, Missouri Senate Bill 127, Section 227.827 was signed into law designating the bridge on loop 44/Rangeline Road crossing over the Kansas City Southern Railroad within the City of Joplin as the “Corporal Ben Cooper Memorial Bridge”. This became effective on August 28th, 2023.

On August 7th, 2023, the Joplin City Council affirmed this legislation with the passage of resolution number 2023-016, which officially recognized the ultimate sacrifice paid by Corporal Cooper and honored him by naming the Rangeline Road bridge that crosses over the Kansas City Southern Railroad as the “Corporal Ben Cooper Memorial Bridge”.