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Ernest J. Dankert
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

Ernest J. Dankert

Saginaw County Sheriff's Department — Saginaw, MI
Veteran → Cardiac
United States flag Michigan flag
End of Watch August 10, 1979
Age 58
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 121 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Military

Incident

Deputy Dankert suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after struggling with a suspect. He was able to take the man into custody but collapsed moment later. Deputy Dankert had served with the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department for 8 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-BC7FE959
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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Also honored at salute.nw. One record, 2 gates. Ernest is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Dankert gave the Saginaw County Sheriff's Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Saginaw community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Dankert.

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

Agency

Department Saginaw County Sheriff's Department
Type Sheriff's Office
Location Saginaw, Saginaw County, MI
Platform Identity scso.saginaw.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 10, 1979
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 58
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Military Service

Ernest J. Dankert served in the the United States military (1942–1945) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Deputy Sheriff Ernest J. Dankert is one of 1 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In MI, 39 of 719 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5.4% of this state's fallen. That is 5.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Saginaw County Sheriff's Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Cardiac
MI — Statewide
39
of 719 officers
5.4% Cardiac
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Cardiac

National Cause Distribution

How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ernest J. Dankert's cause is highlighted.

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

How Ernest J. Dankert Compares

Age at Death
58
This officer
Avg for Cardiac: 48.6 years
Years of Service
8
This officer
Avg for Cardiac: 15.6 years

When Cardiac Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Ernest J. Dankert is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
124
Feb
105
Mar
99
Apr
116
May
115
Jun
95
Jul
94
Aug
104
Sep
109
Oct
121
Nov
113
Dec
111

Military Service

Ernest J. Dankert served in the United States military (1942–1945) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Ernest J. Dankert’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Saginaw County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.