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Detective

Norman R. Eckles

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch April 20, 1989

Age 42

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Badge 16032

The Vigil Panel 134 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 239

Incident

Detective Norman Eckles was shot while serving a narcotics search warrant in South Central Los Angeles on December 1st, 1983. Detective Eckles and another officer, identifying themselves as police officers, tried to enter the suspect's apartment in a surprise predawn raid. While his partner tried to force the door open, Detective Eckles broke a window as a diversionary tactic. Although Detective Eckles was wearing a bulletproof vest a bullet entered from the side, beneath his right armpit, and lodged in his spine. The wound paralyzed him from the chest down, forcing him to take a disability retirement. Detective Eckles remained active in law enforcement, frequently testifying from his wheelchair as an expert in narcotics cases. He also served as a police consultant, lecturing officers on safety and survival. He died from complications of the wound on April 20th, 1989. The subject who shot him was convicted in 1985 of two counts of attempted voluntary manslaughter and one count of assault with a firearm. He was sentenced to 22 years in prison. Detective Eckles had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for just under 19 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, two daughters, and three grandchildren.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-473904AD
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. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Norman is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Eckles gave the Los Angeles Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Eckles.

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

Agency

Department Los Angeles Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA

Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 20, 1989

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Age 42

Badge Number 16032

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Norman R. Eckles served in the U.S. Navy (1965â1969) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Detective Norman R. Eckles 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 Los Angeles Police Department, 115 of 240 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.9% of this agency's fallen.

Los Angeles Police Department

115

of 240 officers

47.9% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious