5 & 10K MEMORIAL RUN

11th Annual 5K & 10K Walk and Run and 1 Mile Kids Fun Run!

Saturday, September 30th, 2023 

We Can’t Make This Event Happen Without You!

CHECK BACK SOON TO SIGN UP!

The City of Columbus Division of Police Honor Guard is a 501(3)c non-profit organization composed completely of volunteer Columbus Police Officers and Command Staff whose primary mission is to participate at funeral services for active, retired, and reserve officers, as well as active and retired civilian police personnel. These special men and women also act as representatives of the Division of Police in various community events. The Honor Guard is primarily self-funded, and relies on very limited public funds for its maintenance and operation.  These funds are for ceremonial equipment, scholarships the organization donates to, transportation, and upkeep on the Police Memorials at Genoa Park, the Columbus Police Academy, and Columbus Police Headquarters.  In case of the tragic loss of a fallen officer, the Honor Guard also sends representation to the National Police Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. as the Fallen Officers’ names are added. They also fund the Fallen Heroes’ names being placed on their own Memorial Wall at Genoa Park, and the Memorials at the Columbus Police Academy and Columbus Police Headquarters, amongst many other expenses.

Most recently, in May 2017, members of the Columbus Division of Police Honor Guard headed to our Nation’s Capital to add their own Fallen Hero’s name, Officer Steven M. Smith, and historic Officer John Manning and Chief Frederick F. Kundts to the National Police Memorial Wall in Washington, DC. Their names can also be viewed on their own Memorial Wall at Genoa Park in their honor.

  This page is dedicated to the Fallen Ohio Officers of the Columbus Division of Police and their dedication to protect and serve.  May we never forget……..                                                  

It is not how these officers died that made them heroes it is how they lived.  

 Vivian Eney, Survivor

Click Here To See the Columbus Division of Police Fallen Officers’ Stories

In March We Remember The Following CPD Fallen Heroes:

(Complements of Officer Down Memorial Page CPD Webpage)

 

Police Officer Jane E. Thompson-Bowman:  EOW: Thursday, March 9, 1989

Officer Thompson-Bowman succumbed to a gunshot wound received eight years earlier. She was assisting other officers on a narcotics search warrant when she was shot in the abdomen with a .25 caliber handgun. The wound required 30 surgeries and required her to be hospitalized 60 times before she succumbed to the wound.

Officer Thompson-Bowman was the first female officer with her agency to be killed in the line of duty. She had been with the agency for 3 years at the time of the shooting.

 

Patrolman Harry E. Shaffer:  EOW: Monday, March 9, 1925

Patrolman Harry E. Shaffer was appointed July 1, 1920, and was killed March 9, 1925, while pursuing a suspected auto thief at midnight at Broad and Lazelle Streets.  Patrolman Shaffer, on foot, was struck by an auto and died in Grant Hospital without regaining consciousness. 

Patrolman Shaffer had served with the agency for five years. He was survived by his expectant wife and two children.

 

Chief Frederick E. Kundts:  EOW:  Sunday, March 22, 1936

Chief Kundts died as a result of injuries he sustained in an automobile accident on State Route 3 in Clinton County.  Chief Kundts was operating a city-owned vehicle in the performance of his official duties while returning to Columbus after surveying flood conditions in Southern Ohio for the American Red Cross.  He had planned to make a flood-survey during an airplane flight with Colonel Black of the Highway Patrol. However, due to a Finance Committee meeting at City Hall with other department heads, Chief Kundts canceled the flight and made the trip by car.  Wendell Wright operated the automobile that collided head-on with the automobile operated by Chief Kundts.  Information from several news articles indicated that Mr. Wright and the occupants of his automobile had been consuming alcohol the entire evening prior to the accident. 

 

Patrolman Curtis L. Staton:  EOW: Wednesday, March 22, 1972

Patrolman Staton was shot and killed after he and his partner responded to a domestic dispute. Upon their arrival, the male suspect shot Patrolman Staton in the chest twice with a .357 caliber handgun. As the suspect attempted to flee he was shot and killed by Patrolman Staton’s partner.

Patrolman Staton had been with the agency for two years and was survived by his wife and three children.

 

Officer William Averay Sexton: EOW: Tuesday, March 25, 1913

The sixth officer killed in the line of duty was Officer William Sexton drowned while performing rescue operations during the Great Flood of 1913.

During the rescue operations he fell from the rowboat in the area of Rich Street and Mitchell Street. His body was recovered five days later. Approximately 500 people were killed throughout Ohio during the flood, including Captain Allen McGown of the Findlay Police Department.

Officer Sexton had served with the Columbus Police Department for eight years.

 

Patrolman Horace D. Elliott:  EOW: Tuesday, March 29, 1927

Patrolman Horace D. Elliott, who came into the department July 13, 1923, was the 20th officer killed in the line of duty.  About 11 a.m. on March 29, 1927, he was riding his motorcycle at Sandusky and West Broad Streets when he skidded and crashed into a safety zone.  He suffered a fractured skull and later died.  Patrolman John Garner was also injured the same night when his motorcycle skidded and crashed as he went to summon aid for Patrolman Elliott.