Colleen Ann Waibel
Agency patch
Officer

Colleen Ann Waibel

Portland Police Bureau — Portland, OR
Felonious
End of Watch January 27, 1998
Age 44
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 144 ›
Gender Female

Incident

Officer Colleen Waibel was shot and killed and another officer was shot and seriously wounded while conducting a drug raid on a house with a marijuana grow at 2612 SE 111th Avenue. Both officers, along with others, had knocked on the front door and identified themselves but nobody answered. As they attempted to knock the door down, automatic gunfire erupted and Officer Waibel was struck above and below her vest. The second officer's vest was penetrated by the armor-piercing rounds. She was transported to a local hospital in extremely critical condition and underwent several hours of surgery. A third officer was shot in the hand as he returned fire in order to allow for the two wounded officers to be extracted. The suspect, who had been shot and wounded, exited the house approximately 2-1/2 hours later after several canisters of tear gas were launched. The subject committed suicide in jail in late February 1998 by hanging himself with a sheet from his bed. Officer Waibel had served with the Portland Police Bureau of seven years.

Survivors

She is survived by her husband.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OR-8326DB3E
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.
Officer Waibel gave the Portland Police Bureau 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Portland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Waibel.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Portland, OR
Platform Identity ppb.multnomah.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 27, 1998
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 44
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Officer Colleen Ann Waibel 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 58.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Portland Police Bureau, 12 of 31 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 38.7% of this agency's fallen.

Portland Police Bureau
12
of 31 officers
38.7% Felonious
OR — Statewide
115
of 197 officers
58.4% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Colleen Ann Waibel's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Colleen Ann Waibel Compares

Age at Death
44
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
7
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Colleen Ann Waibel is highlighted in Jan.

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. Colleen Ann Waibel was killed by rifle.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location