Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Vonck was accidentally shot and killed when a gun fell from his pocket and discharged. Officer Vonck and his partner had been working plainclothes on an investigation of the $1200 robbery the Sunday night before of a local store owner. They had just returned to their unmarked car when Patrolman Vonck said he thought he had dropped some money on the floor of the back seat. Patrolman Vonck plugged an emergency light into the cigar lighter, got out of the car, and bent over to shine the light on the floor in the rear of the car. As he did, a two-shot derringer fell from his shirt pocket. The small weapon did not have a trigger guard and discharged when it hit the curb. Patrolman Vonck died the next day at St. Vincent's Hospital. Patrolman Vonck was a U.S. Navy veteran who served with the Oregon Police Department for four years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, daughter, and three sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-5E69559D- 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.
Patrolman Vonck gave the Oregon Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oregon 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
Maurice J. Vonck served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Maurice J. Vonck 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 OH, 318 of 991 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32.1% of this state's fallen. That is 1.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Oregon Police Department, 2 of 2 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. Maurice J. Vonck's cause is highlighted.
How Maurice J. Vonck Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Maurice J. Vonck is highlighted in Jan.
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Oregon Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
