Gerald Eugene Cline

Albuquerque Police Department — Albuquerque, NM

Felonious

End of Watch February 24, 1983

Age 35

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Badge 120

The Vigil Panel 126 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Officer Gerald Cline was shot and killed after responding to a report of a man with a gun at a low-rent motel at 5715 Central N.E in Albuquerque. Officer Cline was the first officer to arrive at the scene. He parked his cruiser at the northeast corner of the motel and began to walk on the sidewalk toward the room. Suddenly, the suspect stepped out of the room and fired a round from a 30-30 rifle point blank into Officer Cline's chest, killing him. A civilian ride-along in Officer Cline's cruiser called for help and to warn other responding officers. The 29-year-old subject was apprehended and sentenced to death but had his sentence commuted to life by a governor prior to leaving office after losing in a landslide defeat. He was denied parole in March 2015. He died in prison on February 14, 2019, approximately one month before his next parole hearing. Officer Cline had served with the Albuquerque Police Department for 11 years. He was survived by his wife and three children. His brother-in-law was also an officer with the agency. He was buried at the Sunset Memorial Memorial Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Survivors

Survivors attended. The Second National Law Enforcement Officers' Memorial was in 1983, where 10 Surviving Widows attended. These 10 Widows, working in concert with the National Ladies FOP Auxiliary, on May 14, 1984 Created Concerns of Police Survivors, COPS!

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-E3FEE0A7
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Cline gave the Albuquerque Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Albuquerque community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Cline.

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

Agency

Department Albuquerque Police Department

Location Albuquerque, NM

Platform Identity apd.bernalillo.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 24, 1983

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Age 35

Badge Number 120

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; .30-.30

Offender Sentence commuted to life

Officer Gerald Eugene Cline is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NM, 123 of 193 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.7% of this state's fallen. That is 9.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Albuquerque Police Department, 13 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 86.7% of this agency's fallen.

Albuquerque Police Department

of 15 officers

86.7% Felonious

NM — Statewide

123

of 193 officers

63.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious