Kenneth Grant Roediger

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA

Felonious

End of Watch August 5, 1972

Age 24

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Badge 7531

The Vigil Panel 110 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 232

Incident

Officer Kenneth Roediger was shot and killed with his own weapon while attempting to arrest a suspect during a traffic stop at 2 am at 233 North Wood Avenue. Officer Roediger and his partner witnessed a subject driving erratically and attempted to pull him over. After a five-minute pursuit, the subject pulled over but tried to hide in his vehicle. During the arrest, a struggle ensued, and Officer Roediger was able to force the suspect to the ground and began to handcuff him. As he did so, the suspect grabbed Officer Roediger's weapon and shot him. Officer Roediger's partner was able to return fire and kill the suspect. The suspect had recently been paroled from prison, where he served part of a life sentence for beating an 89-year-old Los Angeles man to death in 1956. Authorities found a pistol in the front seat and three rifles in the trunk. Officer Roediger had served with the California Highway Patrol for two years. His father was a retired California Highway patrolman. North Wood Avenue was a street that is now under the County-USC Medical Center.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-29C932AD
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 Roediger gave the California Highway Patrol 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Roediger.

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

Agency

Department California Highway Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 5, 1972

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 24

Badge Number 7531

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Officer Kenneth Grant Roediger 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At California Highway Patrol, 71 of 233 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 30.5% of this agency's fallen.

California Highway Patrol

of 233 officers

30.5% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious