Joel Rodney Conklin
Agency patch
Officer

Joel Rodney Conklin

Hastings Police Department — Hastings, NE
Felonious
End of Watch October 9, 1993
Age 37
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Badge 17
The Vigil Panel 139 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Joel Conklin was shot and killed at the scene of a domestic disturbance at 10:05 pm. When Officer Conclin arrived at the home, he noticed a broken window and damaged front door and heard screams around the back of the house. He went to the backyard where the subject held a woman hostage. The subject shot him in the face before he could draw his weapon. Back-up officers arrived on the scene two minutes later, but the subject had fled with his female hostage. The subject released his hostage before committing suicide as other officers closed in on him. Officer Conklin had served with the Hastings Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NE-CB34AD8F
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Conklin gave the Hastings Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hastings community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Conklin.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Hastings, Adams County, NE
Platform Identity hpd.adams.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 9, 1993
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 37
Badge Number 17
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Officer Joel Rodney Conklin 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 NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 64.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Hastings Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Hastings Police Department
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
NE — Statewide
97
of 151 officers
64.2% 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. Joel Rodney Conklin's cause is highlighted.

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

How Joel Rodney Conklin Compares

Age at Death
37
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
3
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joel Rodney Conklin 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. Joel Rodney Conklin was killed by gun.

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Hastings Police Department are honored on badge.nw.