Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Thomas Kleis was killed in an automobile crash during a high-speed chase. He lost control of his patrol car and hit a row of trees at the 5600 block of Shelbyville Road at 3:20 am. The juvenile who fled from the police was found guilty of reckless homicide and involuntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to six years. Lieutenant Kleis was United States Vietnam War and Indiana National Guard veteran and had served with the Beech Grove Police Department for 17 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, stepson, stepdaughter, mother, father, and two brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-BED0EEA5- 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, salute.nw. One record, 3 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.
Lieutenant Kleis gave the Beech Grove Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Beech Grove 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Thomas L. Kleis served in the U.S. Army (1969â1970) before joining law enforcement.
Lieutenant Thomas L. Kleis is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.
In IN, 152 of 504 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.2% of this state's fallen. That is 30.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Beech Grove Police Department, 2 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas L. Kleis's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas L. Kleis Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas L. Kleis is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Military Service
Thomas L. Kleis served in the U.S. Army (1969–1970) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Thomas L. Kleis’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Beech Grove Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
