KC area officers who died in the line of duty

History records 180 deaths of law enforcement officers in the line of duty in the Kansas City area.

May 9, 2016: Detective Brad Lancaster, Kansas City, Kan., Police Department, gunfire

June 3, 2011: Master Patrolman Jefferson Taylor, Riverside Police Division, weather/natural disaster

May 9, 2001: Officer Craig W. Schultz, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

March 17, 2001: Officer Terry Eugene Foster, Independence Police Department, gunfire

June 11, 1998: Sgt. Richard James Asten, Kansas City Police Department, vehicular assault

Jan. 14, 1998: Officer Thomas Richard Meyers, Kansas City Police Department, vehicular assault

June 13, 1995: Deputy Sheriff Kevin M. Mayse, Cass County Sheriff’s Office, vehicle pursuit

May 2, 1992: Sgt. James Martin Leach, Kansas City Police Department, vehicular assault

Dec. 1, 1992: Sgt. Jack Steven Shepley, Kansas City Police Department, aircraft accident

Dec. 1, 1992: Officer Stephen Allen Faulkner, Kansas City Police Department, aircraft accident

July 13, 1991: Patrolman Donald Burton Gamblin Jr., Shawnee Police Department, vehicular assault

Feb. 13, 1991: Officer Chandler Sumner, Harrisonville Police Department, duty-related illness

Nov. 15, 1990: Sgt. Robert Michael Watts, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

Aug. 1, 1989: Officer Jeffrey A. Young, Kansas City Police Department, vehicular assault

Jan. 10, 1989: Juvenile Officer Charles F. West, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire

Jan. 31, 1986: Officer Maureen Kelly Murphy, Bonner Springs Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 26, 1985: Officer Deanna Hummel Rose, Overland Park Police Department, vehicular assault

Aug. 4, 1984: Deputy Sheriff James L. Reynolds, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office, vehicle pursuit

May 1, 1983: Officer Charles David Hartman, Lee’s Summit Police Department, drowned

Dec. 13, 1983: Patrolman Phillip Allen Miller, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

March 29, 1983: Patrolman Douglas E. Bunch, Kansas City Police Department, heart attack

May 25, 1980: Patrolman David Joseph Inlow, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 8, 1980: Detective Melvin E. Miller, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, struck by vehicle

July 28, 1978: Reserve Officer Michael E. Haen, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

Dec. 12, 1978: Officer John J. O’Sullivan, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 6, 1978: Patrolman Douglas Alan Perry, Kansas City Police Department, struck by vehicle

March 10, 1976: Officer Warren Gene Jackman, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 2, 1975: Officer Russell D. Mestdagh, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Nov. 24, 1975: Patrolman Charles Curtis Massey, Jr., Kansas City Police Department, automobile accident

Sept. 24, 1973: Reserve Deputy Virgil H. McGee, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire

April 21, 1972: Patrolman Francis E. Wirt, Harrisonville Police Department, gunfire

April 21, 1972: Patrolman Donald Lee Marler, Harrisonville Police Department, gunfire

Oct. 14, 1971: Patrolman Robert Wayne Evans, Kansas City Police Department, struck by vehicle

April 3, 1971: Detective Gerald A. Foote, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, automobile accident

Jan. 8, 1969: Patrolman Roger Lutcher, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

July 4, 1969: Patrolman Richard Dean Bird, Kansas City Police Department, vehicle pursuit

July 21, 1969: Patrolman John Edward Dacy, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 10, 1969: Patrolman James William Glenn, Kansas City Police Department, aircraft accident

Nov. 26, 1968: Patrolman Ronald D. Yoakum, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

April 12, 1968: Patrolman Marion Richard Bowman, Kansas City Police Department, heart attack

Feb. 2, 1968: Patrolman Hugh Levon Butler, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

April 12, 1968: Patrolman George Edward Lanigan, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 12, 1968: Patrolman David Campbell Woodson, Kansas City Police Department, automobile accident

April 18, 1968: Officer Larry D. Oliver, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

Feb. 5, 1968: Chief of Police Michael Donald Onka, Sugar Creek Police Department, gunfire

Oct. 31, 1966: Lieutenant David Joe Kraxner, Independence Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 5, 1963: Sgt. Harry V. Hedrick, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 23, 1962: Patrolman Richard Lewis Chatburn, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

Aug. 28, 1961: Corporal Arthur J. Marti, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

July 15, 1960: Sgt. Kieffer C. Burris, Kansas City Police Department, drowned

July 15, 1960: Patrolman Herbert E. Bybee, Kansas City Police Department, drowned

Nov. 24, 1960: Patrolman Bennie A. Hudson, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 28, 1960: Deputy Sheriff Elmer Marion “Okie” Parmer, Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office, electrocuted

Oct. 2, 1957: Patrolman Richard Vance Reeves, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

March 19, 1957: Patrolman Richard Coldren, Leavenworth Police Department, gunfire

March 4, 1956: Deputy Sheriff Thomas W. Mendina, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office, vehicular assault

May 7, 1955: Patrolman William Kenner, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Nov. 19, 1955: Deputy Sheriff Wesley G. Walden, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office, automobile accident

Feb. 22, 1954: Patrolman Mike N. Pearson, Kansas City Police Department, automobile accident

Aug. 29, 1954: Deputy Sheriff Maurice A. Bedell, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire

June 23, 1952: Deputy Sheriff Willard N. Carver, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire

Dec. 20, 1951: Patrolman Clyde William Harrison, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 23, 1949: Patrolman Robert Delaine Edmunds, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

Sept. 27, 1948: Sgt. William S. Wells, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 20, 1948: Patrolman Sandy William Washington, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Feb. 12, 1948: Patrolman Fred Shaumeyer, Kansas City Police Department, Fall

June 28, 1948: Patrolman Floyd N. Montgomery, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 20, 1948: Patrolman Charles William Neaves, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 20, 1948: Patrolman Charles H. Perrine, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 23, 1947: Patrolman James Haskel Owens, Kansas City Police Department, assault

July 4, 1945: Patrolman Melvon Litton Huff, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

Aug. 2, 1943: Officer Edward F. Nugent, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

June 13, 1942: Patrolman Arthur J. Morris, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 27, 1941: Patrolman Ralph R. Miller, Kansas City Police Department, vehicle pursuit

Nov. 21, 1938: Patrolman Henry S. Shipe, Kansas City Police Department, automobile accident

April 9, 1938: Deputy Sheriff Odus Sisk, Ray County Sheriff’s Department, gunfire

June 25, 1937: Patrolman Thomas J. McAuliffe, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

June 19, 1937: Patrolman Lawrence Kenton Morrison, Kansas City Police Department, vehicle pursuit

April 8, 1936: Patrolman William T. Cavanaugh, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 9, 1936: Patrolman Frank S. Stevens, Kansas City Police Department, accidental

Sept. 15, 1935: Patrolman Frank P. Franano, Kansas City Police Department, struck by train

Aug. 30, 1934: Patrolman William Edward Wood, Kansas City Police Department, struck by vehicle

Feb. 19, 1934: Patrolman John Ruffolo, Kansas City Police Department, struck by vehicle

Nov. 26, 1934: Patrolman Grant Victor Schroder, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

March 27, 1934: Deputy Sheriff Lee Flacy, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire

July 29, 1933: Sgt. Morris Bigus, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 18, 1933: Sgt. Eric O. Bjorkback, Kansas City Police Department, vehicle pursuit

Jan. 10, 1933: Patrolman Richard E. Fitzgerald, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

Jan. 23, 1933: Patrolman Leroy Van Meter, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Feb. 4, 1933: Patrolman Bailey Bell, Leavenworth Police Department, gunfire

June 17, 1933: Detective William J. Grooms, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

June 17, 1933: Detective Frank E. Hermanson, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

July 29, 1932: Patrolman Ernest Gough, Leavenworth Police Department, gunfire

Feb. 8, 1932: Detective Oliver P. Carpenter, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 6, 1931: Deputy Sheriff Frank Rohrbach, Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire

Nov. 29, 1930: Deputy Sheriff Louis Anthony Olivero, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire

Dec. 8, 1929: Patrolman William Hicks, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 17, 1929: Patrolman Ralph Hinds, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Oct. 23, 1929: Patrolman George Robert Johnson, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

Dec. 4, 1929: Patrolman Charles H. Dingman, Jr., Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

June 14, 1928: Patrolman James Smith, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 12, 1926: Patrolman William Conley, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 16, 1926: Patrolman John W. Leiter, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

May 16, 1926: Patrolman John V. Kincaid, Kansas City Police Department, vehicle pursuit

Feb. 27, 1925: Patrolman Albert B. Cummings, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 1, 1924: Sgt. Dennis J. Whalen, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 3, 1924: Patrolman Jack P. Wilcox, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

April 6, 1924: Patrolman Emmet C. Barnes, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 22, 1924: Patrolman Barney Jasper, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 20, 1924: Detective Rudolph “Rudy” Markl, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

March 7, 1924: Detective George E. Lawson, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 3, 1923: Patrolman Wright Dewey Bryant, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Feb. 13, 1923: Patrolman William C. Zinn, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Feb. 19, 1923: Patrolman Willard Laurence Ferguson, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 19, 1923: Patrolman Thomas J. Wilson, Kansas City Police Department, struck by vehicle

Feb. 3, 1923: Patrolman Hershal M. Wyatt, Kansas City Police Department, automobile accident

Sept. 1, 1922: Sgt. Elmer E. Biggs, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Nov. 5, 1922: Patrolman Richard P. McDonald, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 26, 1922: Patrolman George Gilbert Barton, Sr., Independence Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 1, 1922: Patrolman Fred C. Wheeler, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 23, 1922: Patrolman C. LeRoy Damron, Bonner Springs Police Department, gunfire

Feb. 11, 1921: Patrolman Willard C. Bayne, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 15, 1921: Patrolman Gerald L. Fackert, Kansas City Police Department, automobile accident

July 18, 1921: Patrolman Carl J. Bickett, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 1, 1921: Acting Sgt. James N. Brink, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

May 9, 1920: Patrolman William H. Scobee, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

July 23, 1920: Patrolman James H. Horn, Kansas City Police Department, automobile accident

July 14, 1920: Patrolman Frank S. Archer, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

April 20, 1920: Officer Ula A. MacMahan, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

July 20, 1919: Patrolman John Middleton Starnes, Leavenworth Police Department, assault

April 22, 1919: Patrolman Isaac Fenno, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Oct. 20, 1919: Patrolman Frederick F. Tierney, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 10, 1918: Patrolman Michael Y. Sayeg, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

March 18, 1918: Patrolman Harry J. Keating, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

Dec. 16, 1918: Patrolman Frank Mansfield, Kansas City Police Department, automobile accident

July 26, 1917: Patrolman Harris W. West, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

Aug. 6, 1917: Patrolman Arthur M. Dorsett, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 8, 1916: Patrolman William Arthur Spangler, Kansas City Police Department, assault

Dec. 23, 1916: Patrolman John F. Houlehan, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

July 10, 1916: Patrolman James M. Karr, Jr., Rosedale Police Depatment, gunfire

Aug. 24, 1916: Patrolman Glen Marshall, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Jan. 31, 1915: Patrolman William L. “Dutch” Hauserman, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Feb. 20, 1915: Night Patrolman Clarence Poindexter, Pleasant Hill Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 1, 1914: Patrolman Samuel H. Holmes, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

Jan. 24, 1913: Probationary Officer Bernard C. McKernan, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Nov. 23, 1913: Patrolman William Franklin Koger, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Feb. 28, 1913: Patrolman Homer Riggle, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 4, 1913: Patrolman Andrew Lynch, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 10, 1912: Patrolman Robert L. Marshall, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

March 28, 1911: Patrolman Joseph Raimo, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Aug. 26, 1911: Patrolman Homer L. Darling, Kansas City Police Department, motorcycle accident

July 2, 1911: Constable Andrew King, Fishing River Township Constable’s Office, assault

Jan. 12, 1910: Policeman Warren G. Devinish, Leavenworth Police Department, gunfire

July 2, 1910: Merchant Policeman Ambrose Donahue, Leavenworth Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 8, 1908: Patrolman Michael P. Mullane, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Dec. 8, 1908: Patrolman Albert O. Dolbow, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

June 5, 1906: Detective John Dwyer, Kansas City Police Department, fall

March 22, 1905: Patrolman William P. Mulvihill, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

Feb. 20, 1904: Patrolman Frank C. McGinnis, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 16, 1903: Patrolman Stephen O. Flanagan, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

June 2, 1903: Patrolman Joseph P. Keenan, Kansas City Police Department, drowned

Jan. 24, 1903: Patrolman Alexander R. McKinney, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

Sept. 2, 1902: Sgt. William Morris, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 6, 1902: Sgt. Frank McNamara, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 19, 1901: Patrolman Joseph Zannelli, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

Aug. 20, 1900: Sheriff John Henry Dillingham, Platte County Sheriff’s Department, gunfire

Aug. 26, 1897: Patrolman John E. Jacobson, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

July 25, 1897: Officer Richard C. Fleming, Kansas City Police Department, assault

Jan. 1, 1892: Patrolman John Martin, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 13, 1889: Detective John W. Gilley, Kansas City Police Department, stabbed

May 8, 1866: Policeman John Curry, Leavenworth Police Department, stabbed

Jan. 16, 1884: Chief John M. Swearingen, Independence Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

April 3, 1882: Patrolman Patrick Jones, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

May 16, 1882: Patrolman Fred B. Houghton, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire (accidental)

Dec. 30, 1881: Patrolman Martin Hynes, Kansas City Police Department, gunfire

June 15, 1879: City Marshal Samuel Bucher, Westport Marshal’s Office, gunfire

Feb. 10, 1877: Deputy Marshal Henry H. Hughes, Independence Police Department, gunfire

May 23, 1867: Jailer Barry G. Griffin, Ray County Sheriff’s Department, gunfire

May 23, 1867: Deputy Sheriff George Frank S. Griffin, Ray County Sheriff’s Department, gunfire

June 13, 1866: Jailer Henry Bugler, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, gunfire

Source: Officer Down Memorial Page, http://www.odmp.org/

This story was originally published May 9, 2016 at 7:02 PM with the headline "KC area officers who died in the line of duty."