Henry Lee Callanen

Little Rock Police Department — Little Rock, AR

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch May 15, 1993

Age 62

Tour of Duty 36 yrs

The Vigil Panel 139 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 22

Incident

Patrolman Henry Callanen was shot and killed while moonlighting at a local McDonald's. While going to make a bank deposit, he was shot and killed by one of two suspects who confronted him. 24 hours later a traffic stop of a Mustang driven by a 19-year-old who had committed a traffic violation and had no drivers license led to his arrest and a charge for Patrolman Callanen's murder. The murder weapon was found in his car. On November 7, 1993, the killer was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. He was released in leu of bond until his appeal was heard. While free he was arrested again on traffic charges. He lost his appeal and was sent to prison. On August 1, 2002, he applied for executive clemency, stating it was his companion who was the killer. Clemency was denied by Governor Mike Huskabee. On April 7, 1994, his accomplice, 18, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. As of December 15, 2022, the one denied clemency was in prison. While free, an Arkansas Sate Representative introduced a bill that led to the elimination of all post-conviction appeal bonds for convicted murderers. Patrolman Callanen had been with the Little Rock Police Department for 36 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his sister and niece.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-5CB43F0D
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

36 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Callanen gave the Little Rock Police Department 36 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Little Rock community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Callanen.

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

Agency

Department Little Rock Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR

Platform Identity lrpd.pulaski.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 15, 1993

Tour of Duty 36 yrs

Age 62

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Henry Lee Callanen served in the U.S. Army (1951â1954) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Henry Lee Callanen 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 AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 66.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Little Rock Police Department, 19 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 82.6% of this agency's fallen.

Little Rock Police Department

of 23 officers

82.6% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious