Stanley Van Tuinen

Grand Rapids Police Department — Grand Rapids, MI

Felonious

End of Watch December 3, 1966

Age 35

Tour of Duty 13 yrs 11 mo

The Vigil Panel 102 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Sergeant Van Tuinen was shot and killed while he and other officers attempted to arrest a man wanted for a shooting at a local bar near the intersection of Franklin Street and South Division Avenue. Shortly after arriving at the subject's home on Madison Avenue near Prince Street officer spotted the subject with a gun through a window. After negotiations failed for the man to drop his weapon Sergeant Van Tuinen was about to enter the residence when the suspect opened fire with a shotgun, fatally wounding Sergeant Van Tuinen. The suspect was shot by other officers as he attempted to flee from the rear of the house. The suspect was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison on June 9, 1967. He died in prison on July 30, 1988. Sergeant Van Tuinen served with the Grand Rapids Police Department for less than 14 years and was survived by his wife and six children. His brother and brother-in-law were Grand Rapids police officers.

Survivors

Sergeant Van Tuinen served with the Grand Rapids Police Department for less than 14 years and was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-6B7D4598
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Van Tuinen gave the Grand Rapids Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Grand Rapids community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Van Tuinen.

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

Agency

Department Grand Rapids Police Department

Location Grand Rapids, MI

Platform Identity grpd.kent.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 3, 1966

Tour of Duty 13 yrs 11 mo

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Died in prison

Sergeant Stanley Van Tuinen is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Grand Rapids Police Department, 8 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.3% of this agency's fallen.

Grand Rapids Police Department

of 15 officers

53.3% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious