Thomas R. Kiefer

Milwaukee Police Department — Milwaukee, WI

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch November 25, 1977

Age 27

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 119 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 68

Incident

Officer Thomas Kiefer was shot and killed after responding to a domestic disturbance. As he leaned across the door to ring the doorbell, the suspect opened fire from within the house, fatally wounding him. The suspect then barricaded himself, but surrendered a short time later. The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life on December 14, 1978. In 1980, in a subsequent trial he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and committed in a state mental hospital. Officer Kiefer had been employed with the Milwaukee Police Department for six years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WI-89CB8E16
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Thomas. Claim this record.

Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Thomas is one person.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Kiefer gave the Milwaukee Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Milwaukee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Kiefer.

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

Agency

Department Milwaukee Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Milwaukee, Milwaukee County, WI

Platform Identity mpd.milwaukee.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 25, 1977

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Military Service

Thomas R. Kiefer served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1969â1971) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Thomas R. Kiefer 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 WI, 159 of 317 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50.2% of this state's fallen. That is 50.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Milwaukee Police Department, 42 of 69 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this agency's fallen.

Milwaukee Police Department

of 69 officers

60.9% Felonious

WI — Statewide

159

of 317 officers

50.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious