Mounted Officer Charles G. Peterson
Age: 38
Served: 9 years
June 13, 1899 to May 23, 1908
On, May 23, 1908, at an Italian colony at 2161 Queen City Avenue in the Lick Run district known as Little Piedmont, Rosso Levato, a lunatic, set fire to a tenement occupied by a number of families. When a man tried to extinguish the flames, Levato shot and killed him with a sawed-off shotgun. The flames attracted the attention of Officer Peterson, a Denmark native who served two enlistments in the U.S. Navy. Officer Peterson tried to see what he could do about the flames, unaware of Levato. Levato shot him at close range, killing him almost instantly.

Funeral services were held at his residence May 26, at 2 p.m. followed by burial at Spring Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers included Patrolmen Valentine H------, Arata, John H. Springmeyer, and John P. Steinw----. Police personnel wore the badge of mourning ten days from May 25 through June 3.

Patrolman James O'Neill
Served: 24¼ years
January 10, 1891 to April 20, 1915
On April 14, 1915, Officer O'Neill attempted to arrest four black males on Liston Avenue under the Cincinnati end of the Southern Bridge. One of them, William Clayton, shot Officer O’Neill. Officer O’Neill died six days later at General Hospital on April 20, 1915 at 4:45 a.m.

The funeral was held at Patrolman O’Neill’s residence at 2459 Elberon Avenue at 7:45 a.m., April 23, 1915. Services were held at the Blessed Sacrament Church on Wilder Avenue near State Avenue. Pallbearers included Patrolmen Charles Beckman, Henry Crowley, Charles Fink, John Dowd, Maurice Brosnan and John H. Martin. The badge of mourning was worn for a period of ten days from April 21 through 30.

Patrolman Jacob Kuenzel
Age: 43
Served 20 years.
On June 24, 1916, Second District Patrolman Kuenzel was relieved at 7 a.m. and went home to 2413 Boone Street to nap before his mandatory appearance at a Preparedness Parade that was due to stage at the Central Station courtyard later in the morning. While laboring under the hallucination that her husband might be harmed in the pursuit of his duties and never return to her, his wife Katie entered the room where he was asleep and shot him in the head, with his revolver, killing him instantly. She fired three more times striking only the couch and wall. Upon hearing the shots, Kuenzel’s sister, Annie, broke a window to enter the home and wrestled the revolver away from Katie while she was trying to fire a fifth shot. The two ran upstairs where Annie prevented Katie from jumping out a window, but she was unable to stop her from getting to the medicine cabinet and consuming poison. Katie died at General Hospital three hours later.

Katie had been confined to a sanitarium at Oxford, Ohio. Patrolman Kuenzel visited her on the Sunday before and she begged to be brought home. He brought her home where she seemed for several days to be rational. A 14-year-old son survived them.

Mounted Officer Henry Ruberg
Age: 60
Served: Almost 30 years
October 16, 1886 to July 28, 1916
On July 26, 1916, Patrolman Ruberg of 3648 Glenway Avenue, assigned to the Ninth District, had been detailed to strike duty in the vicinity of the Southern Railway Terminal. While following a packing company wagon his horse stumbled and fell. Officer Ruberg did not seem to be seriously injured, but he had suffered internal injures and then peritonitis. Doctor Stuart Hagen performed an operation in an effort to save the patrolman's life but to no avail. He died two days later on July 28.

Officer Ruberg left a wife, Josephine. His grand nephew and two great grand nephews would join the Cincinnati Police Department. Patrolman Art Ruberg retired in the 1970s. Police Specialist Donald Ruberg, once awarded Police Officer of the Year in Ohio honors, retired in the 1990s. Lieutenant Raymond Ruberg retired as a Lieutenant during 2001.

Patrolman William C. Boers
Age: 45
Served: 20 years
January 20, 1897 to April 16, 1917
On April 16, 1917, Patrolman Boers, of 1746 Pulte Street, and Patrolman George W. Kaderll responded with a West End character, "Hi-Ball Meg" Jones, to her home at 834 West Fourth Street, to mediate a domestic situation between her and her husband Edward Jones (AKA Frank Jones), a thirty-year-old white male. Though a friend of Patrolman Boers, Jones drew a revolver and shot Patrolman Boers. As they entered the hallway, Mr. Jones fired his revolver and the bullet struck Patrolman Boers in the stomach. Patrolman Kaderll returned fire without effect. Jones ran and jumped out a second floor window, breaking his ankle as he landed. Patrolman Kaderll apprehended him and found on him two revolvers. Patrolman Boers lived long enough to give a statement implicating Jones, but died at 10:10 p.m. in General Hospital.
Funeral services were held at his late residence and he was buried in the German Protestant Cemetery, Walnut Hills, on April 19. Pallbearers were Patrolmen Kaderll, Elmer Lotshaw, Frank Mueller, and Frank Kruse. Police personnel were directed to wear the mourning badge for four days, April 16 through 19.

Jones was tried, convicted and sentenced to twenty years in the penitentiary.
Patrolman Boers, a native of the West End, was a member of the Boer Brothers team of acrobats, formerly traveled with a circus, and had gained fame as an extremely powerful man.

Acting Detective Albert W. Wegener
Age: 38
Served: 11 years
September 19, 1906 to November 12, 1917
Motorcycle Policeman George Le Poris
Age: 28
Served: 2¼ years
August 25, 1915 to November 12, 1917
On November 12, 1917, an unknown and suspicious looking individual tried to pawn a watch with Walton C. Levi, on Central Avenue and New Fifth Street. Levi called headquarters and Detective Wegener responded. The suspect and Detective Wegener recognized each other and the suspect instantly opened fire at the detective. During the ensuing search, a police officer mistook Policeman Le Poris for the suspect and shot him at Third and Elm Streets.

Detective Wegener died at General Hospital at 12:35 p.m. The funeral was held at his late residence, 903 Mound Street, on November 15 at 1:30 p.m. Services were held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral at 2 p.m. He is buried in Evergreen Cemetery, Newport, Kentucky. Pallbearers were Lieutenant Henry Pottebaum, Sergeant William Knight, Acting Detectives William Sweeney and Fred W. Potts, Jr.

Patrolman George Le Poris died at General Hospital at 6:25 p.m. The funeral was held at his residence, 6268 Savannah Avenue, on November 15 at 1:15 p.m. Services were held at the Spring Grove Chapel at 2 p.m. He is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery. Pallbearers were Sergeant Edward Huber, Patrolmen Christian Beck, William Van Agthoven, and Louis Graf.

Police personnel were ordered to wear the badge of mourning for four days from November 13 through November 16.

Detective Wegener died before he could reveal who the suspect was. While police thought they knew who, they were not able to find the evidence to convict him.

Patrolman Henry Hennekes (AKA Hanakas)
Served: 23½ years
October 24, 1894 to March 3, 1918
On February 28, 1918, Patrolman Hennekes suffered gun shot wounds and blows to the head while trying to arrest Vanny Pitts, a black male, at 1227 Whitlow Street. He died four days later on March 3.

Patrolman Hennekes's great grandson, Robert Hennekes, became a Cincinnati Police Officer and, late in his career, he too was shot and nearly killed. While jogging off duty, and unarmed, he interceded in a bank holdup and was shot in the torso. He later retired and, among other activities, traveled to Iraq in the early in the 21st Century to train Iraqi police officers.

NOTE: Patrolman Hennekes was born “Henry Hennekes” and his ancestors and descendants were named “Hennekes.” Patroleman Hennekes changed his name after joining the Police Department to “Hanakas” and then back again before his death.

Detective Frank Hueftlein
Served: 24 years
May 3, 1898 to April 15, 1922
Cincinnati detectives were cooperating with the authorities across the river in an effort to run down the man who had held up a Ludlow bank messenger. On April 15, 1922, word reached Police headquarters that the man was on Garfield Place. Detectives Frank Hueftlein and Albert Guethlein responded. When they approached the man, later identified as Noble "Red" Holt, the suspect shot both detectives. Hueftlein died and Guethlein never recovered from his wounds.

Holt was arrested trying to escape. He was charged, convicted, and executed one year later on April 27, 1923. This was the first time a man was executed for killing a Cincinnati Police Officer.

Patrolman Lawrence M. Klump
Served: 9¾ years
December 31, 1913 to August 12, 1923
During the morning of August 13, 1923, at 3 a.m., Patrolman Klump told John Lawson Hunter, a twenty-four year old black male of 413 Central Avenue, and his associates that they would have to get off the streets and quit disturbing the peace. Hunter shot Patrolman Klump six times with a handgun, killing him.

Patrolman Klump's services were at St. George's, Calhoun Street. He left a wife and three small children. He made little more than $100 a month as an officer.
After his capture, Hunter admitted to firing more than one shot, but did not remember how many. In his confession he stated, "ain't any cop kin put me to bed." Hunter was convicted and sentenced to life.

Patrolman Klump was the sixth patrolman from the Fourth District killed in the line of duty. The district became known as “Death Valley” to department officers. When Patrolman Klump was killed, there were only five patrolmen on duty in an area that had been patrolled by sixteen.