Roll of Honor

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Police Officer

Melvin L. Henze

Cincinnati Police Department — Cincinnati, OH

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch May 5, 1979

Age 28

Tour of Duty 8 yrs 2 mo

Badge P279

The Vigil Panel 121 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 105

Incident

Officer Melvin Henze was shot and killed while pursuing a suspect wanted for felonious assault. The suspect fled on foot as Officer Henze pursued him in his police car. As Officer Henze passed a building alley at 1025 Naeher Street, the suspect came out and shot him several times through his open car window around 1:30 p.m. The suspect was apprehended by responding officers. He was sentenced to 22 years to life in prison and was denied parole in November 2006. He died in prison on August 13, 2011. Officer Henze was a Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Cincinnati Police Department for 8 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his 5-year-old daughter and his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-30A02A00
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, salute.nw. One record, 3 gates. Melvin 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.
Police Officer Henze gave the Cincinnati Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH

Platform Identity cincpd.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 5, 1979

Tour of Duty 8 yrs 2 mo

Age 28

Badge Number P279

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Melvin L. Henze served in the U.S. Army (1968â1969) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Melvin L. Henze 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 57.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Cincinnati Police Department, 63 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.4% of this agency's fallen.

Cincinnati Police Department

of 106 officers

59.4% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious