Officer Down
The Officer Down section is dedicated to honoring and learning from incidents in which correctional officers have been injured or killed in the line of duty. This directory provides articles on the circumstances of these incidents, safety protocols, and ways to support affected families and colleagues. Understanding these events is crucial for improving safety measures and preventing future tragedies. For related resources, explore our section on Corrections Officer Safety.
Legislators say the killing of Michael Francke remains unsolved after courts tossed Frank Gable’s conviction due to serious trial flaws
Groveland Corrections Officer David Hilburger, 53, was known among peers for his calming presence in a high-stress environment
Officer Andrew Lansing’s death has prompted a legislative push to address safety gaps in the state prison system
After breaking free from another CO’s grasp, inmate Paul Kendrick returned to attack Sgt. Mark Baserman, kicking him in the head “with so much force that Kendrick went airborne”
Montgomery County Deputy Charles Rivette was killed after being ejected from the patrol SUV and struck by a passing vehicle; the inmate sustained injuries
Antoine R. Fielder pleaded guilty in exchange for a life sentence, avoiding the death penalty for killing Wyandotte County Deputies Theresa King and Patrick Rohrer
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Deputy Bradley McNew, who had just finished his shift, was shot after witnessing an armed man “violently throwing [a woman against a] vehicle” and trying to intervene
Hunter Miller collapsed during a physical training test, which was part of his duties for the Emergency Response Team
Deputy Meredith Portillo joined the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office in 2023 and worked at the jail; she was off-duty at the time of the crash and only five minutes from home
Ross Bartlett, who also served as a Ceresco Police Department officer, was seated in his patrol vehicle and conducting a traffic stop when he was hit from behind
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Christina Musil served in the corrections and patrol divisions
The inmate is accused of attacking Sgt. Mark Baserman, 60, in a housing unit’s day room at SCI-Somerset on Feb. 15, 2018
Deputy Charles Rivette was killed and another deputy was seriously injured; Deputy Rivette was an 18-year veteran of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office
Court Officer Robert Silver was supposed to be attending a celebration of life for his mother and sister on the day he was killed
Two corrections officers who worked at the East Mississippi Correctional Facility got into an altercation in the parking lot, leading to one officer firing a gun
Corrections Officer Chad Mumpower started his career with the Homewood Police Department in 1998; he leaves behind his wife and daughter, along with his mother and father
Officer Kelly B. Rolando was returning from a temporary assignment when he got into a crash; he served with the Missouri Department of Corrections for eight years
Officer Robert Clark, 42, was escorting two prisoners at Smith State Prison when the inmate assaulted him from behind with a homemade weapon
The inmate faces the possibility of a death sentence if convicted of the first-degree murder of Sgt. Mark Baserman
NYPD Officer Edward Byrne was killed by drug dealers while guarding the home of a witness; he was just 22 years old
The death penalty filing cites four aggravating circumstances, including that Deputy Durm was killed while performing “his duty as a law enforcement officer”
Marion County Deputy John Durm was returning the murder suspect to jail when the inmate attacked Durm
In his 12 years as a CO, Officer Scott Riner mentored many of the inmates he oversaw and tried to steer them toward productive lives after prison
In addition to his corrections work, reserve officer Joseph Johnson volunteered as a firefighter and contributed to his community as a private security officer
Nyssa officer Joseph Johnson was shot while he was still in his vehicle after pulling the suspect over
Sebastian Parra said he “didn’t do anything” to kill Wasco state prison counselor Benny Alcala Jr.
Tarrant County Jail Corporal Aron Iseman was driving when his vehicle left the roadway and rolled several times
Kenneth Fowler, 52, hit his head in the fall, causing brain bleeds and a hairline fracture in his skull
“He was just the best. He was just a great police officer who advocated for a safer city that he grew up in,” an officer said
