Dave Break
City Marshal

Dave Break

Florence Police Department — Florence, KS
Felonious
End of Watch October 9, 1949
Age 70
The Vigil Panel 86 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Marshal Break was shot and killed after stopping a suspect drunk driver. After Marshal Break found one pint of whiskey in the car the man shot him. When the suspect was cornered by a posse he killed himself.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KS-6E02C179
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.
City Marshal Break served with the Florence Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Florence community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, City Marshal Break.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Florence, Marion County, KS
Platform Identity fpd.marion.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 9, 1949
Age 70
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

City Marshal Dave Break 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 KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 70.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Florence Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Florence Police Department
2
of 3 officers
66.7% Felonious
KS — Statewide
237
of 335 officers
70.7% 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. Dave Break's cause is highlighted.

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

How Dave Break Compares

Age at Death
70
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Dave Break is highlighted in Oct.

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. Dave Break was killed by gun.

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

2 officers from Florence Police Department are honored on badge.nw.