This
page is dedicated to our brothers and sisters who have made the supreme
sacrifice…
"In Valor There is Hope..."
Visit
the
National
Law Enforcement Memorial
and the Missouri
Law Enforcement Memorial
by clicking on the pictures above.
State of Missouri:
National
Statistics for the Year
Lee's
Summit Police Department -
Officer Charles David
Hartman - May 1st, 1983
On May 1st 1983, Officer Hartman responded to the Little Blue River in Northern Lee's Summit. Heavy rains had caused flash flooding in the area and canoers were trapped in the swollen Little Blue River. Officer Hartman did not hesitate to respond as he was also a member of the Lee's Summit Underwater Rescue / Recovery Unit. Upon preparing himself and his gear Officer Hartman entered the river to rescue the stranded citizens. As he was swimming out to the citizens Officer Hartman was struck by a log moving down the heavy river current at approximately 30 mph. Officer Hartman lost consciousness and went under water. Other rescue divers pulled Officer Hartman from the river and transported him to the hospital. Unfortunately Officer Hartman did not survive the incident.
David's sacrifice and dedication to duty and to the citizens of Lee's Summit will not be forgotten. Dave is remembered every year during the memorial service and every day in our hearts. Dave's picture is emblazoned on a monument that rests at the entrance to the Lee's Summit Police Department. On the monument is a most fitting tribute to Dave, or any hero. It reads: "Who gave his life for his fellow man."
Independence Police Department-
P.O. Terry Foster - March
17, 2001
Officer Foster had been with the agency for 32 years. He is survived by his wife of one year and several adult children.
Chief Deputy Murphy was killed when his cruiser was struck head-on by a vehicle being pursued by other officers. A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper had attempted to stop the vehicle for a traffic violation when the vehicle began to flee. The trooper requested assistance from the Oregon County Sheriff's Department and Chief Deputy Murphy answered the call. After leading the officers down several gravel roads the suspect rammed head first into Chief Deputy Murphy's cruiser. Chief Deputy Murphy was flown to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries approximately two hours later. The suspect was injured in the accident.
The Oregon County Sheriff's Department has a total of five officers. Chief Deputy Murphy had been with the agency for eight years after serving as chief in another agency. He is survived by his wife and family.
Missouri State Highway
Patrol
Sergeant
Robert A. Guilliams
- February 16th, 2001
Sergeant Guilliams was killed in an
accident while he was responding to another accident call on I-55 in Pemiscot
County in the early morning hours. During his response his cruiser hydroplaned
and struck a bridge abutment.
Sergeant Guilliams had been with the
agency for 17 years and is survived by his wife and two young children.
St. Louis County
Police Department-
Sergeant Richard Weinhold
- October 31st, 2000
Sergeant Weinhold had answered a disturbance call with an armed party in the 1900 block of Chambers Road in north St. Louis County. During the call the officers were clearing the house and prior to ascending a staircase Sergeant Weinhold stopped a younger officer and elected to go first, due to his advanced experience and training. As they ascended the staircase the suspect jumped out at the top of the stairs and fired, ambushing the officers. The shotgun slug found a gap in Sergeant Weinhold's vest and struck him in the left chest. Sergeant Weinhold and other officers returned fire. Sergeant Weinhold was rushed to the hospital but was not able to survive the wound.
Sergeant Weinhold is survived by his wife and four children, ranging in age from three to eleven. He had been a police officer for more than 15 years. Sergeant Weinhold was Missouri's Top Trainer of the year in 1999. Sergeant Weinhold received this honor over 500 other P.O.S.T. certified instructors in the State of Missouri.
St. Louis
Metropolitan Police Department -
Officer Robert Stanze -
August 8th, 2000
Officer Stanze had been with the agency for six years and is survived by his wife, who is expectant with twins, and a daughter.
Randolph County Sheriff's Office
-
Deputy Sheriff Jason Acton
- June 22nd, 2000
Jail Supervisor Leon Engley - June 22nd, 2000
Deputy Acton and Jail Supervisor Leon Engley were shot and killed during an attempted jail break of the rural Randolph County Jail. At approximately 0045 hours a man and women rang the night buzzer at the jail. After being let in, the suspects opened fire on the two deputies, killing them both. Following department regulations, both officers were unarmed while in the jail. There was no barrier separating the deputies from visitors in the lobby. The two suspects were attempting to free a friend who was incarcerated in the jail. After being unable to find keys for the cell, the two suspects fled, but were arrested in Kansas later in the day. Deputy Acton had been with the agency for two months.
Kimberling stopped the suspect after it was reported that a man with a similar description filled up with gas at a highway truck stop and drove away without paying. During the stop, Sergeant Kimberling approached the passenger side of the vehicle. At the same time, the suspect exited the vehicle and walked to the rear of it. Upon seeing Sergeant Kimberling, the suspect ran back to the driver's seat and tried to get his handgun. Sergeant Kimberling was able to catch up to him and they began to struggle.
The suspect shot at Sergeant Kimberling twice, both shots being stopped by his vest. Sergeant Kimberling went for cover and returned fire, striking the suspect twice in the leg. The suspect shot at Sergeant Kimberling three more times. Two of those rounds were stopped by his vest also, but one was able to fatally penetrate his chest. The suspect then shot and killed himself at the scene. The entire incident occurred in less than one minute. The suspect was being searched for in Wisconsin as a suicide threat. That information, however, was uploaded to NCIC only one minute before Sergeant Kimberling called in the license plate, and was not yet available to dispatchers.
Sergeant Kimberling was posthumously awarded the Citation for Valor by his department. He had been with the agency for 14 years and is survived by his wife and two young children.
Missouri State Highway Patrol -
Sergeant May was killed in a police helicopter crash while following the Law Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics. Witnesses stated that the tail rotor on the chopper stopped turning, causing him to lose control of the helicopter, which went into a spin and crashed. The passenger in the helicopter, a Special Olympics photographer, was also killed. Sergeant May had been with the agency for 18 years and is survived by his wife and two daughters. He had been a pilot for the Missouri State Highway Patrol since 1990.
Brookfield Police Department, MO
-
Patrolman John Richard
Brummitt - July 16, 1999
Officer Brummitt died of injuries he sustained approximately one year earlier when his cruiser was broadsided by a drunk driver. He is survived by his wife, three children, and two step-children.
St. Joseph Police
Department, MO -
Officer Bradley Thomas Arn
- November 10th, 1998
Officer Arn was shot and killed as he responded to a call of a man walking down the street firing an assault rifle. Officer Arn was the first officer on the scene and was shot once in the head while still driving his cruiser. The suspect continued walking down the street, shooting randomly, until he was cornered by other responding officers and shot and killed. The suspect, dressed in camouflage and firing an automatic assault rifle, had an additional shotgun and bullets strapped to his body. Officer Arn is the first St. Joseph officer to be shot and killed in the line of duty since 1944. He is survived by his wife and two-year-old twin daughters.
Kansas City Police
Department, MO
Police Officer Thomas
Richard Meyers - January 14, 1998
Officer Meyers was killed after being struck by a car while assisting a victim at the scene of an accident on I-29. While talking with the victim another vehicle driving erratically struck him and the car which was involved in the accident. Two other people at the scene of the accident were injured as well. The drunk driver, who's BAC was three times the legal limit, was charged with assault on a law enforcement officer, which is a class B felony, and two counts of assault. Officer Meyers is survived by his wife, son, and daughter. He had been in law enforcement for 25 years, the last 13 of which were with the Kansas City Police Department.
Johnson County
Sheriff's Department, MO -
Deputy Sheriff Keith
Sturgis - February 4th, 1998
Deputy Sturgis was escorting a funeral procession when he suffered a massive heart attack in his patrol unit. He was pronounced dead on the scene. Deputy Sturgis was 81 years old and had been with the department for 62 years. He is survived by his wife.
St. Louis County
Department of Justice Service, MO -
Correctional Officer James
Stephen Hopkins II - August 20th, 1998
Correctional Officer Hopkins was killed when the corrections van he was driving was struck by a drunk driver in St. Louis County, Missouri. Officer Hopkins was transporting prisoners when the other vehicle crossed the center line and struck the corrections van, which overturned several times. Officer Hopkins, who was not wearing his seatbelt, was ejected from the vehicle and killed. A second officer was injured and the driver of a vehicle behind the corrections van was also killed. The drunk driver was arrested and faces 16 felony charges. Officer Hopkins had been with the agency for five years and is the first corrections officer killed in St. Louis County in 28 years.
Deputy Mabee was killed in an accident after striking a tree. It is thought that he may have been attempting to catch up with a speeder or swerved to avoid hitting a deer.
St. Louis
County Police Department, MO -
Police Officer Willie Neal Jr. - January 29, 1997
Officer Neal was shot and killed at about 16:00 hours. Officer Neal was performing an undercover drug buy which went bad. During an exchange of gunfire Officer Neal was accidentally struck by a round fired by his partner. Officer Neal is survived by his wife and two daughters, 6 and 8. The suspect was arrested at 05:00 hours on January 30 without incident.
St. Louis County Police Department, MO -
Police Officer Thomas G. Smith Jr. -
December 5th, 1997
Patrolman Smith was killed after being struck by a motorist while assisting at the scene of a previous accident. He was standing next to a tow truck with the earlier accident victim when a van struck a patch of ice and slid into them. Patrolman Smith and the earlier victim died on the scene. The driver of the van was taken into custody for suspicion of involuntary manslaughter. Patrolman Smith is the eighth St. Louis County officer to die in the line of duty. He had been with the department for three years.
Rich Hill Police
Department, MO -
Police Officer Jim Wilkinson
- September 6, 1997
Officer Wilkinson suffered a fatal heart attack when he was assaulted after responding to a call at a local bar. Officer Wilkinson and officers from a neighboring agency responded to the fight call and were attempting to talk with the suspects when one of them shoved him. After being assaulted, Officer Wilkinson began talking with one of the other suspects before collapsing. The suspect was arrested at the scene by other officers. Officer Wilkinson is survived by his wife.
Iberia Police Department, MO -
Police Officer Vernon O. Winn
- February 12, 1997
Officer Winn died after suffering a heart attack following an altercation during a drunk driving arrest. The heart attack occurred while he was transporting the suspect to jail.
Barry County Sheriff's Office, MO
-
Field Deputy Christopher
Lee Castetter - November 28th, 1996
Deputy Castetter was shot and killed after responding to a suspicious vehicle call. The operator of the vehicle had just assaulted his girlfriend and was awaiting her return to her home. As Deputy Castetter pulled up, the suspect opened the door to his cruiser and shot him in the head. The suspect in Deputy Castetter's murder was sentenced to death in June 1999. Deputy Castetter is survived by his wife and three children.
Missouri State Highway Patrol, MO
-
Sergeant Randy Vincent
Sullivan - February 18th, 1996
Sergeant Sullivan died as a result of injuries sustained in an accident which occurred after he had turned around to catch up a with a speeder whom he had caught on radar. As he was attempting to catch up with the speeder he apparently ran off the road and crashed into some trees.
The
Officer Down Memorial Page:
2000 Line of Duty Deaths
| Total Line of
Duty Deaths: 150 Accident (Unclassified): 3 Aircraft accident: 8 Assault: 2 Automobile accident: 38 Bicycle accident: 2 Drowned: 2 Duty related illness: 1 Explosion: 1 Fall: 1 Gunfire: 49 Gunfire (Accidental): 3 Heart attack: 5 Motorcycle accident: 8 Stabbed: 2 Struck by vehicle: 9 Training accident: 1 Vehicular assault: 15 |
2001
Line of Duty Deaths
(Current as of 07-30-01)
| Total Line of
Duty Deaths: 79 Aircraft accident: 1 Assault: 2 Automobile accident: 20 Duty related illness: 2 Exposure: 2 Fall: 1 Gunfire: 32 Gunfire (Accidental): 3 Motorcycle accident: 5 Struck by vehicle: 3 Vehicular assault: 8 |