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Robert J. Prato
Agency patch
Trooper

Robert J. Prato

New Jersey State Police — West Trenton, NJ
Veteran → Felonious
United States flag New Jersey flag
End of Watch December 2, 1969
Age 24
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Badge 2353
The Vigil Panel 106 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 83

Incident

Trooper Prato was killed at 8:19 p.m. in an automobile accident on I-295 in West Deptford Township. His patrol car was traveling north on the inside lane when he was struck head-on by a drunk driver in a 1963 Chevrolet convertible heading south in the northbound lane at mile marker 19.3. The 50-year-old drunk driver was also killed. Trooper Prato had served with the agency for 13 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons, ages 4 and 2.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-543971CA
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. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Robert is one person.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Trooper Prato gave the New Jersey State Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Jersey. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Prato.

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

Agency

Department New Jersey State Police
Type State Police
Location West Trenton, NJ
Platform Identity njsp.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 2, 1969
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 24
Badge Number 2353
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

Military Service

Robert J. Prato served in the U.S. Air Force (1963–1967) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Trooper Robert J. Prato 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 NJ, 229 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.4% of this state's fallen. That is 35.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At New Jersey State Police, 14 of 84 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.

New Jersey State Police
14
of 84 officers
16.7% Felonious
NJ — Statewide
229
of 646 officers
35.4% 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. Robert J. Prato's cause is highlighted.

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

How Robert J. Prato Compares

Age at Death
24
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
1.1
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert J. Prato is highlighted in Dec.

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 J. Prato was killed by automobile.

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 J. Prato served in the U.S. Air Force (1963–1967) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Robert J. Prato’s page on salute.nw →

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