Roll of Honor

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Trooper First Class

Harold Bruce Rupert

Delaware State Police — Dover, DE

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch April 19, 1962

Age 34

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Badge 1

The Vigil Panel 97 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 20

Incident

Trooper Rupert was killed in an automobile crash during a pursuit of a car he had attempted to stop for traffic violations. The chase had just crossed the state line into Pennsylvania when the vehicle Trooper Rupert was a passenger in tried to pass the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle rammed the patrol car, causing it to collide with an oncoming tractor-trailer. Trooper Rupert received fatal injuries in the collision, and his partner was seriously injured. The driver of the suspect vehicle later turned himself in after learning of the fatal accident and was charged with involuntary manslaughter. The 22-year-old was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to one year in a Pennsylvania prison. He served his sentence and was returned to Delaware, where he was convicted of several traffic violations. He was sentenced to 10 years probation, fined $3,400.00, and his license was revoked for 10 years. Trooper Rupert was a U.S. Marine Corps WWII and Korean War veteran and had served with the Delaware State Police for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-DE-EE9BE6FC
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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Harold is one person.

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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.
Trooper First Class Rupert gave the Delaware State Police 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Delaware, 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 Delaware State Police

Type State Police

Location Dover, DE

Platform Identity dsp.de.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 19, 1962

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 34

Badge Number 1

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

Harold Bruce Rupert served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1946â1948) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper First Class Harold Bruce Rupert 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 DE, 25 of 51 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 49% of this state's fallen. That is 49 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Delaware State Police, 9 of 21 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Delaware State Police

of 21 officers

42.9% Felonious

DE — Statewide

of 51 officers

49% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious