Jeffry Kowalski
Agency patch
Sergeant

Jeffry Kowalski

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch October 1, 2008
Age 50
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
The Vigil Panel 157 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Jeffry Kowalski succumbed to complications of gunshot wounds sustained on February 19th, 1987, while chasing a juvenile robbery suspect in the 5000 block of Vernon Avenue.

During the pursuit he was shot once in the abdomen, causing severe internal injuries.

In the spring of 2008 Sergeant Kowalski was diagnosed with cancer in his organs that had been severely wounded by the shooting and subsequent surgeries. He passed away several months later as a result of the complications.

Sergeant Kowalski was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for 21 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-0332099F
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 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.
Sergeant Kowalski gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 21 years.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 1, 2008
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Military Service

Jeffry Kowalski served in the U.S. Army (1975–1978) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sergeant Jeffry Kowalski 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 63.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, 112 of 176 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.6% of this agency's fallen.

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
112
of 176 officers
63.6% Felonious
MO — Statewide
516
of 813 officers
63.5% 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. Jeffry Kowalski's cause is highlighted.

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

How Jeffry Kowalski Compares

Age at Death
50
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
21
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jeffry Kowalski is highlighted in Oct.

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. Jeffry Kowalski was killed by gun; unknown type.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Jeffry Kowalski served in the U.S. Army (1975–1978) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Jeffry Kowalski’s page on salute.nw →

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