Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 26, 1995                   TAG: 9507260037
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV3   EDITION: NEW RIVER 
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HE WANTS TO EMULATE OFFICER

Linkous, 18, is the first recipient of Christiansburg Police Department's Memorial Scholarship. The award was established to honor Griffith, a 1975 Christiansburg High School graduate who died last September from a gunshot from his own weapon, fired by a shoplifter he was trying to arrest.

Linkous received the certificate during graduation award ceremonies in June. Monday, Christiansburg Police Chief Ron Lemons presented Principal George Porterfield with a plaque to be placed in the school's trophy case. It has a picture of Griffith, a badge replica and room for winners' names to be added each year.

Linkous starts work on his criminal justice degree next month at Bluefield College. His $1,000 award has been deposited with the school.

Linkous has been interested in law enforcement as a career for several years and has a friend who works as a U.S. marshal. He learned about the scholarship from his guidance counselor.

"I didn't know him. I think I would have liked to have known him, the good things I've heard about him," Linkous said of Griffith.

Gary Brumfield, who oversaw the scholarship selection committee, said the department hopes to be able to give two scholarships a year in the future. Money comes from a payroll deduction plan at the police department and from fund-raisers such as this past spring's basketball game between the police and the teachers.

Applicants must be graduating Christiansburg seniors with a 2.5 or better grade point average. They must display good citizenship and sound moral character, be pursuing a degree in criminal justice or a related field, and display a financial need to pursue their education.

"A lot of people say all a police officer does is drink coffee, eat donuts, and issue traffic tickets," Linkous wrote in an essay accompanying his application. But his research showed him a police officer has a difficult job.

"When I become a police officer I want to become a role model for others, and serve my community the way Terry Griffith did."

Linkous said he'd like to work at smaller police departments to train for his goal of joining his friend in becoming a U.S. marshal.

"In four years, come back and put in an application," Lemons told him after Monday's presentation.

Linkous is the son of Eddie and Sandra Linkous.