Frank Delmege
Agency patch
Detective

Frank Delmege

Des Moines Police Department — Des Moines, IA
Felonious
End of Watch September 20, 1909
Age 37
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Badge 14
The Vigil Panel 24 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Frank Delmege was shot and killed while responding to a man with a gun call his neighborhood. He was on duty, at home, when his department called him to the scene with another officer. As the officers approached the suspect's house he emerged from inside and walked to edge of the lawn, which was elevated seven feet above the sidewalk. He then shot Detective Delmege point-blank. The other officer returned fire, striking the suspect in the chest three times and wounding him. The suspect was eventually sentenced to life in prison where he later died.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IA-7B684D6A
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.
Detective Delmege gave the Des Moines Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Des Moines community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Delmege.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Des Moines, Polk County, IA
Platform Identity dmpd.polk.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 20, 1909
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 37
Badge Number 14
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Detective Frank Delmege 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 97,775 officers honored here.

In IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 57.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Des Moines Police Department, 16 of 27 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this agency's fallen.

Des Moines Police Department
16
of 27 officers
59.3% Felonious
IA — Statewide
129
of 226 officers
57.1% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,775 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Frank Delmege's cause is highlighted.

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

How Frank Delmege Compares

Age at Death
37
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Frank Delmege is highlighted in Sep.

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. Frank Delmege was killed by shotgun.

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