John J. Gerka Jr.

Hammond Police Department — Hammond, IN

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 11, 1947

Age 36

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo

The Vigil Panel 83 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 7

Incident

Patrolman John Gerka was training two rookie officers when he went to investigate a suspicious car parked on Cleveland Street near Kenwood School. As Patrolman Gerka walked to the side of the auto, a man leaned out and shot him at point-blank range, hitting him in the heart with a .45-caliber bullet. One of the rookies, Patrolman Donald Cook, was also shot and died two days later. The second rookie disarmed the shooter by wrestling his pistol from him, but was struck on the head by a second man and knocked to the ground. A manhunt combed the area, then the state, looking for both suspects. Sometime later, Hammond detectives arrested two suspects for the crimes. Both suspects were convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On February 23, 1949, both men were executed by electrocution. Patrolman Gerka had served in the U.S. Army during World War II and served with the Hammond Police Department for over one year.

Survivors

He is survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IN-04087C22
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. John is one person.

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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.
Patrolman Gerka gave the Hammond Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Hammond 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

Department Hammond Police Department

Type Other

Location Hammond, Lake County, IN

Platform Identity hammpd.lake.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 11, 1947

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

John J. Gerka Jr. served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman John J. Gerka 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 IN, 311 of 504 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.7% of this state's fallen. That is 61.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Hammond Police Department, 6 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Hammond Police Department

of 8 officers

75% Felonious

IN — Statewide

311

of 504 officers

61.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious