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Police Officer

Ronald Edgar Unger

Roscommon Township Police Department — Roscommon, MI

Cardiac

End of Watch November 30, 1987

Age 46

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

His Life Service The Sacrifice

His Life

Police Officer Ronald Unger suffered a fatal heart attack while responding to a burglary-in-progress call at Houghton Lake with two state troopers. As he approached the house the suspect jumped out of a window and landed directly in front of him. Officer Unger tackled the man and took him into custody after struggling with him. He collapsed a short time later and was transported to a hospital in Grayling where he passed away. Officer Unger had served as a part-time officer with the Roscommon Township Police Department for approximately three years. He had previously served with the Lansing Police Department for 17 years and as an officer with the Lansing Parks and Recreation Department for two years.

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

22 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Unger gave the Roscommon Township Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Roscommon community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Unger.

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

Agency

Department Roscommon Township Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Roscommon, MI

Platform Identity rtpd.roscommon.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 30, 1987

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

His Life Details

Cause Cardiac

Weapon Person

Police Officer Ronald Edgar Unger is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,586 officers honored here.

In MI, 39 of 718 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5.4% of this state's fallen. That is 1.4 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

Roscommon Township Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Cardiac

MI — Statewide

of 718 officers

5.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,586 officers

4% Cardiac

National Cause Distribution

How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ronald Edgar Unger's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,559 (53.9%)

Accident

10,094 (31%)

Illness

3,037 (9.3%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

334 (1%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

How Ronald Edgar Unger Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Cardiac: 48.6 years

Years of Service