Claude Lanstra

Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Safety — Grosse Pointe Park, MI

Felonious

End of Watch June 1, 1930

Age 24

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 59 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Patrolman Lanstra and Patrolman Erhardt Meyer were shot and killed by the driver of a vehicle wanted for hit-and-run. The two had been investigating the accident and had just left the police station when other officers heard several shots fired. When they responded to the scene at E. Jefferson and Wayburn in Grosse Pointe Park, the other officers found Patrolman Lanstra on the ground and Patrolman Meyer still in the patrol car, both mortally wounded. The responding officers spotted the vehicle and exchanged shots with it when they tried to stop it. Both suspects were apprehended. One later died in prison and the second was acquitted after receiving a new trial. Patrolman Lanstra had been with the agency for one year. He was survived by his parents and two brothers -- one of whom served as the police chief for St. Clair Shores, Michigan.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents and two brothers -- one of whom served as the police chief for St.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-21234A91
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

You barely got started.
Patrolman Lanstra gave the Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Safety 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of Michigan. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Lanstra.

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

Agency

Department Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Safety

Type Federal Agency

Location Grosse Pointe Park, MI

Platform Identity gppdps.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 1, 1930

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 24

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Patrolman Claude Lanstra 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 MI, 426 of 719 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.2% of this state's fallen. That is 59.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Safety, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Safety

of 5 officers

60% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 719 officers

59.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious