Herman Lester Toulson Jr.

Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services - Division of Correction — Baltimore, MD

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch October 6, 1984

Age 39

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 128 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 5

Incident

Officer Herman Toulson was stabbed to death at the Maryland State Penitentiary as he and another guard attempted to return several inmates to their cells. The guards were attacked with homemade knives, and Officer Toulson received fatal stab wounds. A second officer was also wounded in the attack. The suspect, a 25-year-old convicted murderer, was convicted of Officer Toulson's murder and sentenced to serve 66 years for the stabbing. Officer Toulson was a decorated United States Army Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Maryland Division of Correction for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three daughters, two sons, parents, two sisters, and four brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-853A7ADA
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 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.
Officer Toulson gave the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Maryland, 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 Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services - Division of Correction

Type Corrections

Location Baltimore, MD

Platform Identity mdpscsdcdps.baltimore.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 6, 1984

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon

Military Service

Herman Lester Toulson Jr. served in the U.S. Army (1967â1970) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Herman Lester Toulson Jr. 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 MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 51.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services - Division of Correction, 6 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services - Division of Correction

of 6 officers

100% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious