Donald B. Cook

Hammond Police Department — Hammond, IN

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 13, 1947

Age 22

Tour of Duty

The Vigil Panel 83 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 7

Incident

Patrolman Donald Cook was being trained with another unarmed rookie officer by Patrolman John Gerka when they went to investigate a suspicious car parked on Cleveland Street near Kenwood School. As Patrolman Gerka walked to the side of the auto, a man leaned out and shot him at point-blank range, hitting him in the heart with a .45-caliber bullet. Patrolman Cook, a rookie, was also shot and died two days later. The second rookie disarmed the shooter by wrestling the pistol from him, but was struck on the head by a second man and knocked to the ground. A manhunt combed the area, then the state, looking for both suspects. Sometime later, Hammond detectives arrested two suspects for the crimes. Both suspects were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On February 23rd, 1949, both men were executed by electrocution. Patrolman Cook was a U.S. Amy veteran of WWII and had served with the Hammond Police Department for only four days.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, parents, and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IN-9E3B85F8
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Cook served with the Hammond Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Hammond community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Hammond Police Department

Type Other

Location Hammond, Lake County, IN

Platform Identity hammpd.lake.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 13, 1947

Tour of Duty

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Donald B. Cook served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Donald B. Cook 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In IN, 311 of 504 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Hammond Police Department, 6 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Hammond Police Department

of 8 officers

75% Felonious

IN — Statewide

311

of 504 officers

61.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious