Robert Joseph Staab
Agency patch
Lieutenant

Robert Joseph Staab

Bal Harbour Police Department — Bal Harbour, FL
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch October 31, 1957
Age 32
Tour of Duty 6 yrs 2 mo
The Vigil Panel 93 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Lieutenant Robert Staab was shot and killed while on a plainclothes detail at a large convention at 9801 Collins Avenue. He and his partner observed a suspicious man going from door to door in the hotel swimming pool area and attempted to question him. The suspect and Lieutenant Staab's partner began to struggle. As Lieutenant Staab came around a corner the suspect shot him. The man then fled the scene but was arrested a short time later after being stopped in Hollywood, Florida. The suspect was apprehended and executed for the murder in 1961. Lieutenant Staab was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of WWII.

Survivors

He had been in law enforcement for more than six years and was survived by his wife and three sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-37A3C74B
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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Robert is one person.

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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 Staab gave the Bal Harbour Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bal Harbour 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 Bal Harbour, FL
Platform Identity bhpd.miamidade.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 31, 1957
Tour of Duty 6 yrs 2 mo
Age 32
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Robert Joseph Staab served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1943–1946) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Lieutenant Robert Joseph Staab 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 FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Bal Harbour Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Bal Harbour Police Department
1
of 2 officers
50% Felonious
FL — Statewide
539
of 1,008 officers
53.5% 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. Robert Joseph Staab's cause is highlighted.

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

How Robert Joseph Staab Compares

Age at Death
32
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
6.2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert Joseph Staab is highlighted in Oct.

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. Robert Joseph Staab was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Robert Joseph Staab served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1943–1946) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Robert Joseph Staab’s page on salute.nw →

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

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Bal Harbour Police Department are honored on badge.nw.