December 8, 2024

HONOR ROLL OF FALLEN MIAMI POLICE OFFICERS

Photo's (if available) may be viewed by clicking on Name of officer.


 

Jorge Sanchez

11/01/2016

Jorge Sanchez, 53 yoa. Joined MPD in July of 1995, was killed in the line of duty on Nov. 1, 2016 when his motor was struck from behind on SW 8 Street and 137 Ave.  Sanchez was enroute to work at the time.  Sanchez was 32 years old when he joined the department and assignments included: Patrol, Criminal Investigations and Motors. He was only 17 months from retirement at the time of his death. His son Eric is also a City of Miami Police Officer.

James M. Walker

01/08/2008

Det. James M. Walker, (1977-2008) was born 10/20/77, graduated from Miami Jackson Sr. High in 1996 and recently received his Masters Degree from St. Thomas University. Walker was a PSA and became a police officer on June 4, 2001. Before his untimely death on January 8, 2008, he was serving as a police detective for the Domestic Violence Unit. Detective Walker is survived by his wife, Katrinah, parent: Isabella and James Walker, one brother and one sister and other grieving family members; along with his Miami police family. He was slain in a shootout in North Miami and the offender was taken into custody on January 14, 2008.

William H. Williams

07/03/2000

(42 years old) - On Saturday July 1st, Officer Williams was escorting a funeral procession. As he proceeded to pass the succession of cars, a motorist, also traveling in the procession, attempted to make a left turn. When the officer tried to brake, his motorcycle slid into the rear of the car. He was transported to Jackson Memorial Hospital with multiple injuries and head trauma. He died two days later from his injuries.

Carlos Santiago

05/30/1995

(47 years old) - Officer Santiago and his partner were investigating a burglary of a vehicle. They received information that the bridge tender could be the owner of the vehicle that was broken into. As the Officer approached the bridge (which was under repair and in the upright position) during the evening hours, e fell through the bridge opening and was killed.

Osvaldo Canalejo Jr.

10/13/1992

(28 years old) - Officer Canalejo was on is way to an emergency call at Mercy Hospital when another officer advised him that the situation was under control. Officer Canalejo then returned to routine patrol. As he traveled through an intersection, he was struck and killed by an automobile that ran a stop sign.

William D. Craig

06/21/1988

(37 years old) - Motorcycle Officer Craig was fatally injured in a collision with a drunk driver. The 14-year veteran was on his way to work when the accident occurred. He crashed head-on into the vehicle that threw him 50 feet in the air. He died of massive injuries received in the accident two and half months later.

Victor Estefan

03/30/1988

(49 years old) - Officer Estefan, a 21-year veteran, was shot three times as he approached a car he chased and stopped for driving without headlights. As he approached, the two occupants (who had recently served time in prison) opened fire on Officer Estefan. He died 12 hours later from his injuries.

David W. Herring

09/03/1986

(25 years old) - Officer Herring, a four-year veteran, died of carbon monoxide poisoning when gas seeped into his air-conditioned patrol car, as he was sitting with the engine running. Employees in the Design District discovered him slumped over and unconscious in the driver's seat of his cruiser.

Jose DeLeon

12/21/1984

(26 years old) - Officer DeLeon was a two-year veteran and member of the Enforcement Detail for only two weeks, when he was killed in a collision during the high-speed chase of a traffic violator. His motorcycle was struck and the officer was propelled, head first, into a curb, shattering his helmet. He was the first Hispanic officer to lose his life in the line of duty.

Nathaniel K. Broom

09/02/1981

(23 years old) - Rookie Officer Broom was shot and killed as he chased a man he thought was just a traffic violator. However, the violator turned out to be a repeat offender hoping to sell his gun and use the money to buy crack cocaine. Officer Broom and his partner pursued the offender by foot. When Broom entered a dead-end alley the offender, who was crouched awaiting the officer's entry into the alley, shot him.

Edward F. McDermott

05/18/1980

(48 years old) - Lt. McDermott died of a heart attack while escorting National Guard troops during the 1980 riots. Fire rescue units arrived within minutes and initiated CPR. McDermott's death was one of three of the 95 'line of duty' county deaths that resulted from a heart attack while in performance of duty.

Victor Butler Jr.

02/20/1971

(45 years old) - This officer was responding to a domestic disturbance call when he and his partner were ambushed. Two unknown gunmen who drove by in a speeding car, shot Officer Butler. The 20-year veteran died at the scene. Officer Butler was the fifth Black officer to be killed in the line of duty.

Rolland J. Lane II

05/23/1970

(21 years old) - Officer Lane had only graduated from the police academy four months earlier, when he was murdered responding to a burglar alarm near the Imperial Hotel. Officer Lane was shot from behind by the assailant who had reportedly firebombed a local business for not serving him.

Ronald F. McLeod

05/07/1969

(30 years old) - Officer McLeod became the 24th Miami officer killed in the line of duty when he was shot and killed by a fleeing armed robber. The motorcycle officer was shot at almost arms length when the robber waited for the officer to come around a corner in his pursuit. He was shot in the cheek and the bullet traveled to his brain. He died 18 hours later.

Jerrel E. Ferguson

11/07/1962

(33 years old) - Ferguson was on patrol one night when he stopped a car driven without lights. The officer was familiar with its occupants but he didn't know that the two had just committed two holdups minutes earlier. A scuffle ensued and one of the robbers grabbed the officer's weapon and fired five shots into the officer's chest at point blank range. The officer died instantly.

John T. Burlinson

03/08/1958

(26 years old) - Officer Burlinson was on routine patrol, alone in his squad car, when another vehicle driven by a drunk driver ran a stop sign and hit his vehicle. The impact of the collision drove him into a tree and threw him from the vehicle. He was then run over by his own spinning vehicle and was crushed to death underneath the wheels.

James H. Brigman

02/28/1951

(35 years old) - A 12-year veteran of the force, Officer Brigman was killed in a traffic accident when he was crushed between his car and a church building after his police car was struck by another vehicle. The impact of the collision sprung open the driver's door of Brigman's car. While hanging half in and half out of the car, he was crushed against the side of the building

Leroy LaFleur

02/16/1951

(26 years old) Officer LaFleur was a two-year veteran when he was shot and killed in a gun battle when he approached a man who was sleeping in a parked truck. Officer LaFleur was the third Black officer killed in the line of duty. His murder remains unsolved.

Frampton P. Wichman Jr.

09/24/1948

(22 years old) - Officer Wichman was fatally injured when a falling iron utility pole struck him. The accident occurred when a truck struck the pole while backing into a parking space. The pole broke off at its base and struck the officer after bouncing off a parked taxicab. Wichman was talking to the taxicab driver when the pole struck him.

Johnnie Young

03/07/1947

(32 years old) - Officer Young was fatally wounded when he was accidentally shot while he and another Miami police officer were trying to catch two escaping suspects. Officer Young was also one Miami's first Black officers and the second to be killed in a period of four months.

John Milledge

11/01/1946

(49 years old) - Officer Milledge was shot and killed by a single shot to the throat. He had just chased several youth out of Dorsey Park during a football game, when a bullet was fired from an alley hitting the officer in the throat. Officer Milledge was the first black officer killed in the line of duty and one of the five original Black officers hired. His murder remained unsolved for 44 years.

Wesley F. Thompson

09/18/1941

(40 years old) - Motorcycle Officer Thompson was struck and killed by a power line being strung across a Miami street by Florida Power and Light. Officer Thompson, a sever year veteran, was traveling about 50 miles per hour chasing a speeding motorist when the wire struck his forehead and knocked him unconscious. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Patrick Baldwin

03/29/1940

(34 years old) - Officer Baldwin was a motorcycle officer who was assigned a vehicle that day because of bad rainy weather. The officer was killed instantly after he apparently fell asleep at the wheel of this vehicle after it jumped a curb and hit a pole.

Samuel D. Hicks

08/09/1935

(48 years old) - Officer Hicks, an 11-year veteran, and another officer were standing by the roadside examining a car they had just chased and stopped by shooting out the tires, when he was hit by a speeding two ton truck. Officer Hicks and another officer tried to avoid the truck, driven by a drunk driver, but Hicks was unable to avoid the collision.

Robert Jester

11/12/1933

(40 years old) - Officer Jester was a 10-year veteran when he was shot and killed in downtown Miami. A shootout occurred between Detective Jester and two bank robbers as hundreds of people where nearby shopping. He was shot three times and died from a chest wound in route to the hospital.

John L. Brubaker

03/31/1933

(29 years old) - Officer Burbaker, a 5-year veteran, was fatally injured while in route to a burglary call when a car collided with his motorcycle. He suffered a fractured skull, shattered bones in his left ankle and leg, and internal injuries. He died two days later from the injuries.

Sidney Crews

04/25/1929

(44 years old) Officer Crews was shot with his own weapon inside the city jail by a 'crazed inmate'. One bullet shattered his right arm while a second was lodged in his right hip. General poisoning from the abdominal wound was listed as the cause of death the following day.

Augustus S. McCann

09/25/1928

(45 years old) Officer McCann was fatally injured when his patrol car crashed and overturned during the pursuit of a speeding truck. In an effort to avoid a pedestrian in the street, the Officer swerved and the police car spun around and then turned over three (3) times. He suffered a fractured skull and died the next day.

Frank Beckham

02/03/1928

(29 years old) Officer Beckham had been in pursuit of a bootlegger when he was shot and killed. He was killed while sitting in his police vehicle. Four shots rang out hitting him in his chest and left side. He died instantly.

A. R. Johnson

09/25/1927

(40 years old) - Officer Johnson was accidentally shot and killed by a close friend as the two were in the process of shooting the friend\'s sick dog. The friend went into the garage to shoot the dog but the animal attempted to run away. While in pursuit of the dog, the gun went off and hit the officer in the head as he was standing outside the garage.

Jesse L. Morris

07/08/1927

(24 years old) - Officer Morris was shot and killed by a gun wielding man who also shot six other persons. The officer was minutes from being off-duty when he saw the assailant chasing someone at NW 2nd Avenue and 11th Street. A gun battle ensued and the officer was hit with buckshot in his right side and abdomen. Officer Morris was a two-year veteran.

Samuel J. Calloway

01/10/1927

(50 years old) - Officer Callaway was on duty directing traffic at W. Flagler and 12th Avenue when he saw a speeding motorist run a red light. He then jumped on the running board of a passing automobile and tried to commandeer the driver's vehicle to chase the speeding violator. While standing on the running board of the vehicle, he hit the pavement after colliding with another vehicle. He sustained a fractured skull but lived three (3) days before dying from his injuries.

John D. Marchbanks

02/16/1926

(66 years old) - While directing traffic, Officer Marchbanks was struck and killed by a 'reckless or incompetent motorist.' The driver hit the officer while he was giving instructions to another driver. The officer was transported by private vehicle to River View Hospital where he had sustained a broken back and other injuries, which caused his death. Officer Marchbanks was an eight-year veteran of the department.

Sgt. L.R. Wever

03/14/1925

Sgt. Laurie LaFayette Wever(33 years old) - Sgt. Wever was a four year veteran and commander of the motorcycle Division when he was shot and killed by two armed robbers. Sgt. Wever was in pursuit of two offenders when one of them leaned out of the car and fired four shots. Two of those shots fatally hit the officer.

Robert Marler

11/28/1921

(34 years old) - During a manhunt for an armed robber and suspected killer, rookie Officer Marler was shot and killed by another deputy sheriff. Officer Marler had only been on the job three (3) months when he, along with someone who knew the suspect, was posted on the grounds of the Deering Estate, to act as a lookout for the fugitive. When another officer heard a noise in the bushes, he accidentally shot the officer.

Frank A. Croff

05/22/1921

(28 years old) - Officer Croff's death occurred when he was struck and killed by a drunk driver. He was pinned underneath his motorcycle under a car and dragged two blocks before the driver crashed into another vehicle.

John R. Ribblet

06/02/1915

(31 Years Old) - Officer Ribblet was killed in a shootout with a gang member during a jailbreak. Dade County Officer Wilber Hendrickson was also shot and killed. The gang member was trying to break his brother out of jail.His name on the Memorial wall is all that is available.

Note: These are only brief descriptions of the events leading up to the deaths of these officers. This information comes from the 1999-2000 Miami Police Department Annual Report which used research and excerpts taken from Dr. William Wilbanks' book "Forgotten Heroes: Police Officers Killed in Dade County, Fl 1895 - 1995."