Ralph Augustus Chase
Agency patch
Lieutenant

Ralph Augustus Chase

Gardiner Police Department — Gardiner, ME
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch January 1, 1966
Age 59
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
The Vigil Panel 101 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Lieutenant Ralph Chase was assaulted while making an arrest in a domestic situation at a local club. He was caught from behind, bear-hugged and kneed in the abdomen, which result in a massive pulmonary hemorrhage, from which he died. Despite being assaulted by several suspects, only one person was charged in connection with the incident. The suspect was convicted of simple assault. Lieutenant Chase was a Maine National Guard veteran and had served with the Gardiner Police Department for 10 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-ME-1BE90E8F
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 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.
Lieutenant Chase gave the Gardiner Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gardiner 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

Type Police Department
Location Gardiner, Kennebec County, ME
Platform Identity gpd.kennebec.me.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 1, 1966
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Age 59
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Person

Military Service

Ralph Augustus Chase served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Lieutenant Ralph Augustus Chase 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 ME, 43 of 102 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.2% of this state's fallen. That is 42.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Gardiner Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
ME — Statewide
43
of 102 officers
42.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ralph Augustus Chase's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Ralph Augustus Chase Compares

Age at Death
59
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
10
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ralph Augustus Chase is highlighted in Jan.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ralph Augustus Chase was killed by person.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Military Service

Ralph Augustus Chase served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Ralph Augustus Chase’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Gardiner Police Department are honored on badge.nw.