First Responder Hero Award: Sgt. Mark Bender

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – News 12 is recognizing some of the bravest members of our community through the First Responders Hero Award.

Whether someone is an EMT, paramedic, firefighter, or police officer, this award honors their unwavering dedication to keeping us safe.

When danger strikes, these heroes are the first to respond.

Now, it is our turn to put them first.

In partnership with Wettermark Keith, News 12 is proud to spotlight these courageous men and women.

This month, the community has nominated Sergeant Mark Bender with the Chattanooga Police Department.

For Sergeant Mark Bender, wearing the badge was more than a career choice, it was a calling that started long before he ever put on a uniform.

“The reason I picked this career is because originally, as I was graduating high school, I had already made up my mind I was going to take up criminal justice for a major,” Bender recalled. “I hadn’t really considered at that time whether that was going to lead into local, state, or federal law enforcement, but I knew it was headed in that direction.”

That direction eventually led him to Chattanooga, where a city and its police department would capture his heart.

“Lo and behold, I ended up in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area when I was going to college at UTC and fell in love with the police department,” he said.

Through the years, Sergeant Bender has experienced moments that tested his strength, courage, and faith in the profession.

One of those moments left a permanent mark.

“Probably the most impactful event that happened in my career was many years ago,” he said. “I was involved in an armed robbery that ended up turning into a police shootout, and Sergeant Tim Chapin died in that shootout with Jesse Matthews.”

It was a moment that changed everything, not because of the gunfire, but because of the loss.

“It’s not the shootout itself that impacted me,” Bender explained softly. “It was the fact that I realized how much we put on the line every day that we come to work, and the fact that we can lose all of that in a moment’s notice.”

Even though officers followed their training and did everything right that day, tragedy still struck.

“From a police department standpoint, we did everything right in that situation, and I still lost a friend and a mentor in that moment,” he said. “Understanding that in this job, even if everything is done right, it can cost you your life.”

That day reshaped his perspective.

“I acknowledge that and accept that every day,” Bender said. “That’s not my desired outcome, obviously, I want to come home every day, but I accept that.”

The weight of that acceptance extends far beyond the uniform. It reaches into his home, where his loved ones carry their own form of bravery.

“From a family standpoint, my wife struggles with the fact that on any given day she could lose me to this job,” Bender shared. “My daughter struggles with that. They accept it because I accept it—but they accept it because they have to.”

Even with those fears, his family stands by him, because they know how deeply he loves what he does.

“If I wasn’t as in love with this job as I am, my wife would probably encourage me to go into the corporate world,” he said with a small laugh. “You know, the worst thing I’m gonna get there is a paper cut. I’m not gonna get shot at, beat up, stabbed, or possibly killed at work.”

But behind that humor is devotion, an unshakable belief in the importance of service.

“She knows I love the job,” he continued. “She knows my whole life has led up to this. When we show up, we’re not there because we’re mad or because someone’s in trouble, we’re there to fix whatever was called in.”

It’s that heart of service, the desire to make a difference, that defines Sergeant Bender and his fellow officers.

“Our desire is to help the folks, help the community, and just try to make this a better city to live in.”