Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Bobby Garten was killed when his patrol car was struck by a fleeing vehicle at the intersection of Asylum Avenue and Broad Street at about 10:30 p.m.
Officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle with canceled registration tags. As they approached the car, it sped north on Broad Street; however, officers did not pursue it.
Detective Garten was in the passenger seat of a patrol car traveling east on Asylum Avenue with emergency equipment activated en route to another incident. The fleeing car sped through the Farmington Avenue red traffic signal, and as it was speeding through the red traffic signal at Asylum Avenue, it struck the passenger side of the cruiser.
Detective Garten and the officer driving the cruiser were transported to St. Francis Hospital where Officer Garten succumbed to his injuries. The other officer was admitted in stable condition.
The subject was charged with failure to obey a traffic control signal, failure to renew registration, misuse of plates, and interfering with a police officer. His charges were upgraded to first-degree manslaughter and first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, disobeying the direction of an officer, reckless driving, DUI, and failure to yield to an emergency vehicle. In 2025, he pleaded guilty to manslaughter, first-degree assault, and interfering with a police officer and was sentenced to 16 years.
Detective Garten had served with the Hartford Police Department for eight years. He was a second-generation police officer whose father retired as a detective with the agency.
Survivors
He is survived by his parents, brother, nephews, and grandmother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CT-FCFAC27D- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Robert. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Garten gave the Hartford Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hartford community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Garten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Robert Garten 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 CT, 74 of 169 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.8% of this state's fallen. That is 43.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Hartford Police Department, 5 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert Garten's cause is highlighted.
How Robert Garten Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Garten is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert Garten was killed by automobile.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Hartford Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
