Roll of Honor
Cleveland Kemp
Incident
Location: Kentucky Weapon: Edged weapon Offender: Not available
Railroad Detective Cleveland Kemp was killed after being struck in the back of the head with an iron pick while patrolling the rail yards at Silver Grove, Kentucky.
He was regularly assigned to Cincinnati but had been sent to Silver Grove due to a rash of box car thefts that had occurred there. He was seen following two hobos along the tracks at approximately 2:00 am.
He wasn't seen again until his body was located by two boys after daybreak. He had been stabbed in the back of the head with an iron pick, which was found nearby. His body was placed in a ditch and covered with cinders.
On March 25th, 1914, Railroad Detective Leslie Johnson was fatally shot in the same railroad yards and died two days later. Investigators at the time believed that the same subjects committed both murders. It is not known if anyone was ever charged with either murder.
Detective Kemp was survived by his wife and one child.
Survivors
Detective Kemp was survived by his wife and one child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-D1765F48- 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.
Railroad Detective Kemp served with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Railroad Detective Kemp.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Railroad Detective Cleveland Kemp 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 57.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Police Department, 10 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 83.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Cleveland Kemp's cause is highlighted.
How Cleveland Kemp Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Cleveland Kemp is highlighted in Jun.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Cleveland Kemp was killed by edged weapon.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
11 officers from Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
