“It’s a Memphis Thing”

Whether it’s running down criminals or running for track glory, Robert Harris, Jr. has always put his best foot forward.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Robert served his community for 24 years, retiring as a Lieutenant in the Memphis Police Department. He is also a gifted sprinter who ran at Memphis State (now Memphis University) before entering public service, and when he learned the fittest first responders gather every two years for the World Police & Fire Games (WPFG), he found his lane to keep running and hurdling.

Now 60, Robert has been a regular in the Tennessee Police Games and has competed in 12 of the past 20 WPFG events, racking up 34 medals (16 of them gold) and setting three WPFG track records. Since retirement he has been ranked in the Top Ten in US Masters Track & Field events, and he was thrilled to be part of a 4x100 relay world record his team set at the National Senior Games in Birmingham, Alabama in 2017. He is delighted to be returning to Birmingham for the 2025 World Police & Fire Games, by far the closest the Games have ever been to the region.

“I've been all over the world, to Australia, Stockholm, Canada, and around the United States,” he says. “Besides the competition, the camaraderie and the friendships that I acquired is amazing. When I get to those games, I see people from Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Great Britain. You can never, ever replace those friendships that were established. Right to this day, we still communicate, and I can't wait to see them again!”

Robert appreciates that his innate talent and stamina built on the track was beneficial in his work and is keeping him healthy in retirement. He laughs remembering how he was in high demand when he entered the service. “Back when I graduated from the academy, the training officers were jockeying to have me to ride with them, because they knew if we got into a foot chase it wouldn't be very long before we had the suspect in custody. And when I was a patrolman, they would be at the precinct guessing how long it would take for me to get someone in custody. It’s different than sports but this job is competitive too.”

Memphis has always sent athletes to the international event, and Robert says the close proximity to Birmingham is drawing others to enjoy the experience. “We’re going to bring athletes in women's basketball, men's football, bowling, and of course our track team is already practicing. We'll probably have between 10 to 15 track guys coming.”

“I'm excited,” Robert continues. “The people at the Games will tell you when they know Memphis is in the house, because it is a ‘Memphis thing.’ That’s on our shirts. When we get to the track, they know Memphis is in the house and there's going to be some stiff competition.”

By Del Moon