Richard Rivers
Officer

Richard Rivers

Indianapolis Police Department — Indianapolis, IN
Felonious
End of Watch April 27, 1936
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Badge 455
The Vigil Panel 71 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Richard Rivers was shot and killed by members of the Brady Gang who had gone to a doctor's house to have a companion's gunshot wounds treated. Officers went to the home of the doctor in response to a report that a man at that address had suffered a gunshot wound. Officer Rivers was gunned down in a hail of machine-gun fire upon their arrival. The gang members all fled the scene and two were captured a year later. Another suspect was convicted of bank robbery and the murder of Trooper Paul Minneman of the Indiana State Police on May 27, 1937, under federal law and sentenced to death. On November 18, 1938, he was executed by electrocution at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Although never proven, the Brady Gang was also suspected of murdering Officer Frank Levy of the Anderson Police Department on November 25, 1935. Officer Rivers had served with the Indianapolis Police Department for 13 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-264D45A7
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.
Officer Rivers gave the Indianapolis Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Indianapolis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Rivers.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Indianapolis, Marion County, IN
Platform Identity ipd.marion.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 27, 1936
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Badge Number 455
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Officer Richard Rivers 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 IN, 311 of 503 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 61.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Indianapolis Police Department, 38 of 59 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.4% of this agency's fallen.

Indianapolis Police Department
38
of 59 officers
64.4% Felonious
IN — Statewide
311
of 503 officers
61.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard Rivers's cause is highlighted.

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

How Richard Rivers Compares

Years of Service
13
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard Rivers is highlighted in Apr.

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. Richard Rivers was killed by rifle.

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