Randall A. Blank

Rockford Police Department — Rockford, IL

Felonious

End of Watch December 31, 1980

Age 23

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 4 mo

Badge 236

The Vigil Panel 123 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Patrol Officer Randall Blank was shot and killed during a foot chase. Officer Blank had responded to a local bar for a report of a purse snatching. When he arrived he engaged the suspect in a foot pursuit which resulted in a struggle. During the struggle the suspect was able to gain control of Officer Blank's service weapon and shot him in the head. The suspect was apprehended a short time later by responding units. Officer Blank had served with the Rockford Police Department for 10 months and had previously served with the Freeport Police Department for 1-½ years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-DE011D63
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrol Officer Blank gave the Rockford Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Rockford community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrol Officer Blank.

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

Agency

Department Rockford Police Department

Type Other

Location Rockford, IL

Platform Identity rockfordpd.winnebago.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 31, 1980

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 4 mo

Age 23

Badge Number 236

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Patrol Officer Randall A. Blank 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Rockford Police Department, 7 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 87.5% of this agency's fallen.

Rockford Police Department

of 8 officers

87.5% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious