Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Thomas Edward Strunk

Billerica Police Department — Billerica, MA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch March 27, 1985

Age 32

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Badge 82

The Vigil Panel 129 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 3

Incident

Patrolman Thomas Strunk was killed when he was dragged by a drunk driver while he attempted to turn off the ignition of the vehicle. He was off-duty and driving with his family in Billerica when he observed a vehicle behind him being driven in an erratic fashion. Suspecting the driver was drunk, Patrolman Strunk exited his vehicle when traffic stopped and identified himself as a police officer. He asked the driver to turn the vehicle off, and when he refused, Patrolman Strunk reached inside to turn it off. As he did so the operator sped off, dragging Patrolman Strunk approximately one-quarter mile before slamming into a utility pole on Allen Road approximately four-tenths of a mile north of Route 3A. The suspect fled the scene but was arrested a short time later. He was sentenced to 14 years but served only seven years. Patrolman Strunk was a U.S. Army veteran. He had served with the Billerica Police Department for two years and was posthumously awarded the George L. Hanna Award for Bravery.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three sons, one of whom also went on to serve with the Billerica Police Department.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-48AC5143
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. Army. One record, 2 gates. Thomas 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.
Patrolman Strunk gave the Billerica Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Billerica 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 Billerica Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Billerica, Middlesex County, MA

Platform Identity billpd.middlesex.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 27, 1985

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 32

Badge Number 82

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

Thomas Edward Strunk served in the U.S. Army (1970â1972) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Thomas Edward Strunk 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 42.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Billerica Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Billerica Police Department

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious