Harlow Douglas Meers
Agency patch
Patrol Officer

Harlow Douglas Meers

Rome Police Department — Rome, GA
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch June 10, 1972
Age 25
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
The Vigil Panel 110 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrol Officer Harlow Meers was shot and killed when he and his partner responded to a hit-and-run call that turned violent. Officer Meers was shot while coming to assist his partner, who was struggling with a suspect. Officers Meers and his partner had gone to a suspect's home at 102 Ohio Drive to continue conducting a hit-and-run investigation that had been interrupted earlier that night. Harris went inside while Meers waited outside. After entering the house, Officer Meers' partner was attacked by three men. One of the three family members struck Meers' partner in the head, another began striking him with a dog leash, and the third family member wrestled Officer Meers' partner for his gun. Hearing the fight, Officer Meers rushed inside to help as the suspect was able to get control of the revolver. The suspect then pointed the weapon at Officer Meers, who ordered him to "halt." The suspect shot Officer Meers in the stomach and then turned and shot the other officer in the hand. Officer Meers, though mortally wounded, drew his weapon and fired a shot that struck and killed one of the other suspects. The gunman fled out the back door while Meers' partner went to the patrol car to call for backup. A large group of city, county, state and auxiliary officers responded and searched the area for about 7 hours. They ultimately found the gunman hiding in the dark inside his home, which was next door to the house where the shooting occurred. Officers surrounded the house, and the gunman surrendered without further incident. He was arrested and later sentenced to life in prison. Officer Meers served three years with the Rome Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-0A95474F
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 — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Harlow is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrol Officer Meers gave the Rome Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Rome community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrol Officer Meers.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Rome, Floyd County, GA
Platform Identity rpd.floyd.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 10, 1972
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Harlow Douglas Meers served in the U.S. Navy (1965–1969) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrol Officer Harlow Douglas Meers 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 GA, 549 of 905 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 60.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Rome Police Department, 5 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Rome Police Department
5
of 5 officers
100% Felonious
GA — Statewide
549
of 905 officers
60.7% 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. Harlow Douglas Meers's cause is highlighted.

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

How Harlow Douglas Meers Compares

Age at Death
25
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Harlow Douglas Meers is highlighted in Jun.

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. Harlow Douglas Meers was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Harlow Douglas Meers served in the U.S. Navy (1965–1969) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Harlow Douglas Meers’s page on salute.nw →

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