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Incident
Police Officer Rolland Lane was shot and killed by a suspect while responding to a report of a disturbance at a hotel at 50 NW 8th Street. He was shot in the back and leg as he entered the hotel by a former member of the Black Panthers who had just fire-bombed a local business. The suspect was later arrested at the Orlando Airport as he boarded a plane bound for New York. The 26-year-old suspect was found incompetent to stand trial and committed to a mental institution. In 1977 the suspect was found competent to stand trial, was convicted of Officer Lane's murder, and sentenced to life. He received an additional 10 years for the fire-bombing. In 1981 the Florida Court of Appeals threw out the conviction and the Florida Supreme Court subsequently refused to hear the case. Officer Lane had only served with the Miami Police Department for eight months. The Black Panther Party was a black nationalist and Marxist revolutionary political and militant organization active in the United States between 1966 and 1982. Members and former members of the group were responsible for the murders of over 20 law enforcement officers and the wounding of dozens more across the nation. Please click here to visit all the law enforcement officers who have died as a result of the Black Panther Party's violent activism.
In Our Keeping
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Lane served with the Miami Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Miami community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Lane.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Miami Police Department has lost 39 officers; 20 of them killed feloniously.
Rolland is one of 536 officers killed feloniously in FL, 53.2% of the 1,007 remembered there.
Rolland is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Rolland is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1970, 1 officer at Miami Police Department was killed feloniously, the 3rd heaviest of 18 years on record. The heaviest was 1927, with 2.
In 1970, 2 officers in FL were killed feloniously, the 93rd heaviest of 143 years on record. The heaviest was 1987, with 10.
In 1970, 138 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 29th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1970, 142 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 35th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Rolland was 21. Of the 20 killed feloniously at Miami Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 27.5 and 41; the middle age was 32. Rolland had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 4.5 years.
Rolland was 21. Of the 496 killed feloniously in FL whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 44.3; the middle age was 36. Rolland had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 5 years.
Rolland was 21. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Rolland had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Rolland was 21. Of the 15,853 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Rolland had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
May holds 15% of these deaths at Miami Police Department; November holds the most, 15%. Saturdays: 20%.
May holds 9% of these deaths in FL; April holds the most, 10.1%. Saturdays: 20.1%.
May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.
May holds 8.5% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Saturdays: 16.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 51.3% of all 39 deaths at Miami Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 25% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 53.2% of all 1,007 deaths in FL, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 23.7% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 20.4% of these deaths.
His people
Miami Police Department has 39 officers remembered here, Rolland among them.
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John Rhinehart Riblet Jun 2, 1915
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Frank Angelo Croff
May 22, 1921
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Richard Roy Marler
Nov 28, 1921
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Laurie Lafayette Wever
Mar 15, 1925
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John D. Marchbanks
Feb 16, 1926
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Samuel J. Callaway
Jan 10, 1927
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Jesse L. Morris
Jul 8, 1927
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Albert R. Johnson
Sep 25, 1927
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James Franklin Beckham
Feb 3, 1928
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Augustus S. McCann
Sep 26, 1928
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Sidney Clarence Crews
Apr 25, 1929
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John I. Brubaker
Mar 31, 1933
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Robert Lee Jester
Nov 18, 1933
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Samuel D. Hicks
Aug 9, 1936
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Patrick Howell Baldwin
Mar 29, 1940
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Wesley Frank Thompson
Sep 18, 1941
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John Milledge
Nov 1, 1946
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Johnnie Young
Mar 8, 1947
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Frampton Pope Wichman, Jr.
Sep 24, 1948
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Leroy Joseph LaFleur, Sr.
Feb 16, 1951
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James H. Brigman
Feb 28, 1951
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John Thomas Burlinson
Mar 8, 1958
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Jerrel E. Ferguson
Nov 7, 1962
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Ronald F. McLeod
May 8, 1969
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Rolland Lane, II
May 23, 1970
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Victor Butler, Jr.
Feb 20, 1971
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Edward F. McDermott
May 18, 1980
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Nathaniel Keith Broom
Sep 2, 1981
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Jose Raimundo DeLeon
Dec 21, 1984
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David Herring
Sep 3, 1986
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Victor Estefan
Mar 31, 1988
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William Don Craig
Jun 21, 1988
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Osvaldo Juan Canalejo, Jr.
Oct 13, 1992
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Carlos A. Santiago
May 30, 1995
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William Harris Williams
Jul 3, 2000
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James Merry Walker
Jan 8, 2008
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Jorge Sanchez
Nov 1, 2016
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Aubrey Travis Johnson, Jr.
Oct 1, 2020
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Paul Schippereit
Jul 4, 2022
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
38 officers from Miami Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
