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Correctional Officer

Jerome Combs

Kankakee County Sheriff's Department — Kankakee, IL

Felonious

End of Watch February 27, 1986

Age 24

Tour of Duty 7 mo

The Vigil Panel 130 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Correctional Officer Jerome Combs died as a result of injuries sustained from being kicked by an unruly inmate at the Detention Center. Officer Combs, along with two other Correctional Officers, were struggling with an inmate, attempting to place him in a cell. It was then that the inmate kicked Officer Combs in the chest, killing him. Correctional Officer Combs had served with the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department for only seven months. In 2005, a new county jail was named the Jerome Combs Detention Facility in his honor.

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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Correctional Officer Combs served with the Kankakee County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Kankakee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Combs.

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

Agency

Department Kankakee County Sheriff's Department

Location Kankakee, IL

Platform Identity kcso.kankakee.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 27, 1986

Tour of Duty 7 mo

Age 24

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Person

Offender Apprehended

Correctional Officer Jerome Combs is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Kankakee County Sheriff's Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jerome Combs's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Jerome Combs Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

0.6

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Apprehended

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jerome Combs is highlighted in Feb.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jerome Combs was killed by person.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518