The Thin Blue Line is a colloquial term for police forces. 

​The blue refers to the typical blue of the police uniform, and refers to the police forces in general. It may refer to the police as a "line" standing between good and evil (citizens and perpetrators), or may refer to the "line" that separates the police as an in-group from everyone else (with positive, negative or mixed connotations, depending on the person using the expression). 

In the United States, the blue line is used on mourning bands to signify the loss of a fellow officer.
​
Today, in the United States, some 900,000 law enforcement officers put their lives on the line for the safety and protection of others. They serve with valor and distinction – and with great success. Federal statistics show that violent and property crime rates in the United States are at historic lows, thanks in large measure to the dedicated service of the men and women of law enforcement.

That protection comes at a price, however. Each year, there are approximately 60,000 assaults on law enforcement officers, resulting in nearly 16,000 injuries. Sadly, over the last decade, an average of 160 officers a year have been killed in the line of duty. And throughout U.S. history, over 19,000 law enforcement officers have made the ultimate sacrifice.

"Sadly, over the last decade, an average of 160 officers
a year have been killed in the line of duty.”

Gang Enforcement Officers Killed and/or Law Enforcement Officers
​Killed in the Line of Duty at the Hands of a Gang Member
* This list is not all inclusive as these statistics are not readily available as reporting is limited on gang member involvement. Names will be added as we receive them.

Challenge: The primary challenge we face is that many agencies do not go as far as categorizing an officers death as "gang related" "gang motivated" or "gang involved" when an officer is killed in the line of duty by a gang member so it is difficult for us to identify those officers accurately and completely.

If you have information pertaining to an gang officer killed in the line of duty and/or an officer killed in the line of duty by a gang member and you do not see their name included on this page,  please e-mail command@gangenforcement.com with additional information.

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Name: Alfano, James
Rank: Police Officer
Agency: Chicago Police Department
State: Illinois
End of Watch: 08-16-1970

Name: Boyer, Keith
Rank: Police Officer
Agency: Salt River Police Department​
State: Arizona
End of Watch: 05-24-2014

Name: Ceriale, Michael
Rank: Police Officer
Agency: Chicago Police Department​
State: Illinois
End of Watch: 08-21-1998

Name: Elmore, Ted Cephus
Rank: Lieutenant​
Agency: Catawba County Sheriff's Office​
State: North Carolina
End of Watch: 04-27-1983

Name: Giniewicz, Anthony A.
Rank: Police Officer
Agency: ​Signal Hill Police Department​
State: California
End of Watch: 12-07-2011

Name: Gonzalez, Mauel
Rank: Correctional Officer​
Agency: ​California Department of Corrections​
State: California
End of Watch: 01-10-2005

Name: Jacobs, Allen L.
Rank: ​Police Officer III​
Agency: ​Greenville Police Department​
State: South Carolina
End of Watch: 03-18-2016

Name: Loftus, Terrance E.
Rank: ​​Police Officer​
Agency: ​​Chicago Police Department​
State: Illinois
End of Watch: 10-10-1976

Name: Orozco, Kerrie
Rank: ​​Gang Detective​
Agency: ​​Omaha Police Department​
State: Nebraska
End of Watch: 05-20-2015

Name: Rappaport, Frank G.
Rank: ​​Correctional Officer​
Agency: ​​Chicago Police Department​
State: Illinois
End of Watch: ​11-13-1969

Name: Sanders, Jerry
Rank: ​​Correctional Officer​
Agency: ​​California Department of Corrections​
State: California
End of Watch: ​11-27-1973

Name: Smith, Norman
Rank: ​​Police Officer​
Agency: ​​​Dallas Police Department​​
State: Texas
End of Watch: ​01-07-2009

Name: Wright, Gerald L.
Rank: ​​Police Officer​
Agency: ​​​Chicago Police Department​
State: Illinois
End of Watch: 08-07-1993

Name: ​Brownlee, Sam K.
Rank: Deputy Sheriff
Agency: Weld County Sheriff's Office​
State: Colorado
End of Watch: 11-23-2010

Name: ​Cabrera, Jair
Rank: Police Officer
Agency: Whittier Police Department​
State: California
End of Watch: 02-20-2017

Name: ​Clements, Tom
Rank: Executive Director
Agency: Colorado Department of Corrections​
State: Colorado
End of Watch: 03-19-2013

Name: ​Frazier, De'Greaun
Rank: Special Agent​
Agency: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation
State: Tennessee
End of Watch: 08-09-2016

Name: ​Gilhooly, John J.
Rank: Police Officer
Agency: Chicago Police Department​
State: Illinois
End of Watch: 11-13-1969

Name: ​Holder, Randolp
Rank: Detective​
Agency: New York Police Department​
State: New York
End of Watch: 10-20-2016

Name: ​Lee, Eric D.
Rank: Police Officer​
Agency: Chicago Police Department​
State: Illinois
End of Watch: 08-19-2001​

Name: ​McGuinn, David
Rank: Correctional Officer​
Agency: Maryland Department of Corrections​
State: Maryland
End of Watch: 07-25-2006

Name: ​Ortiz, Jerry
Rank: Deputy​
Agency: Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office​
State: California
End of Watch: 06-24-2005

Name: ​Redelfs, Arthur
Rank: Senior Corporal​
Agency: El Paso County Sheriff's Office​
State: Texas
End of Watch: 03-12-2010

Name: ​Santiago, Melvin
Rank: Detective​
Agency: ​Jersey City Police Department​
State: New Jersey
End of Watch: 07-13-2014​

Name: ​Strouse, Brian
Rank: Police Officer​
Agency: ​Chicago Police Department​
State: Illinois
End of Watch: 06-30-2001