Roll of Honor

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Night Watchman

Clarence F. Berry

Leola Police Department — Leola, SD

Felonious

End of Watch December 12, 1921

Age 37

The Vigil Panel 42 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Watchman Berry was shot and killed while on patrol. He encountered a married couple, who were dressed in each other's clothes, near the Lutheran church. The man, who was wearing women's clothes, yelled out to the officer and immediately pulled out a .25 caliber handgun and shot Watchman Berry in the abdomen. Watchman Berry was able to return fire and shot the suspect in the knee. The suspect was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. On October 6, 1928, his sentence was commuted to 10 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-SD-FEA51B87
Stewardship: 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.
Night Watchman Berry served with the Leola Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Leola community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Night Watchman Berry.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Leola Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Leola, SD

Platform Identity lpd.mcpherson.sd.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 12, 1921

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Night Watchman Clarence F. Berry is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In SD, 36 of 62 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.1% of this state's fallen. That is 58.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Leola Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

SD — Statewide

of 62 officers

58.1% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Clarence F. Berry's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How Clarence F. Berry Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Clarence F. Berry is highlighted in Dec.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Clarence F. Berry was killed by handgun.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Leola Police Department are honored on badge.nw.