Birmingham City Council honors injured police officer John Finke during meeting

Posted: Jan 28, 2020 / 05:17 PM CST

Updated: Jan 28, 2020 / 05:59 PM CST

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — On Tuesday, members of the Birmingham City Council adorned blue ribbons during its regular meeting in honor of Birmingham police Detective John Finke.

During the meeting, councilors thanked Finke for his dedication to the community and Birmingham’s safety, as well as wishing him a speedy recovery. Finke was shot Sunday morning while working security for Church of the Highlands in Woodlawn.

Councilor Hunter Williams said the blue ribbons were in support of not just Finke, but the entire Birmingham Police Department and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

“What they do, they might a lot of times think it goes unnoticed, but it does not go unnoticed by the leadership in Birmingham. We are forever grateful by the sacrifice they make on a daily basis,” Williams said.

Police say he was confronting two robbery suspects, when one of them shot him in the stomach. Since the shooting, two men have been arrested and charged in the case: 25-year-old Chris Leon Burke and a 16-year-old. Burke is charged with two counts of first-degree burglary while the 16-year-old was charged with first-degree robbery and is being investigated by the Alabama State Bureau of Investigation in the shooting.

BPD Chief Patrick Smith said Det. Finke appears to be doing well and that during his visit at UAB Hospital, the injured officer was able to sit up.

“It’s heartwarming to know that he is okay,” Smith said. “I’m glad that his family, and his support system is around him, being his wife, and his daughter and other family, and we just remain very hopeful everything will work out.”