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Police Officer

Robert Peter DeKorte

Coral Gables Police Department — Coral Gables, FL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 21, 1972

Age 45

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Badge 5

The Vigil Panel 109 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 8

Incident

Police Officer Robert DeKorte was shot and killed when he responded to a holdup alarm at a local liquor store at 238 South Dixie Highway. When he arrived at the store, he observed two suspects inside and attempted to stop them. The suspects opened fire, striking Officer DeKorte in the chest area. Officer DeKorte was able to grab onto both suspects until other officers arrived, but the two broke free and led the other officers in a foot pursuit. Neither of the responding officers knew Officer DeKorte had been wounded when they began to chase the suspects. Officer DeKorte attempted to drive himself to the hospital but made it only one-half mile before succumbing to his injuries. One of the suspects was shot and killed by the responding officers, and the second was apprehended and sentenced to life. He was denied parole in February 2012 and 2019. His next parole date is September 2025. Officer DeKorte was United States Navy veteran and had served with the Coral Gables Police Department for 20 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, a son, two daughters, his father, and three siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-780F78A8
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. Navy. 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.
Police Officer DeKorte gave the Coral Gables Police Department 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the Coral Gables 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

Department Coral Gables Police Department

Type Other

Location Coral Gables, Miami-Dade County, FL

Platform Identity corapd.miamidade.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 21, 1972

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 45

Badge Number 5

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Robert Peter DeKorte served in the U.S. Navy (1943â1946) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Robert Peter DeKorte 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 Coral Gables Police Department, 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.

Coral Gables Police Department

of 9 officers

77.8% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious