Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Lee Cole was killed in an automobile crash when his patrol car was struck by another vehicle that had run a red light at E. Palmer and Elmwood. The collision occurred at 1:50 a.m. as he and his partner were driving a couple home after the couple's car had broken down. Officer Cole was a United States WWI veteran and served with the Royal Oak City Police Department for 17 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, and nine siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-2AB995F6- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- 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 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.
Officer Cole gave the Royal Oak City Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Royal Oak 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Lee Cole served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Officer Lee Cole is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MI, 229 of 718 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.9% of this state's fallen. That is 0.9 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Royal Oak City Police Department, 3 of 3 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Lee Cole's cause is highlighted.
How Lee Cole Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Lee Cole is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Royal Oak City Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
