Walter Poturalski
Agency patch
Patrolman

Walter Poturalski

Gary Police Department — Gary, IN
Accident
End of Watch August 8, 1935
Age 31
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Badge 36
The Vigil Panel 70 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Walter Poturalski was killed when the motorcycle he was riding hit a stone and fell in front of a funeral cortege, one-half mile from the cemetery. Patrolman Poturalski had served with the Gary Police Department for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-1E687303
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 Walter. Claim this record.

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.
Patrolman Poturalski gave the Gary Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Gary community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Poturalski.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Gary, Lake County, IN
Platform Identity garypd.lake.in.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 8, 1935
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 31
Badge Number 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Patrolman Walter Poturalski is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In IN, 151 of 503 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Gary Police Department, 5 of 15 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Gary Police Department
5
of 15 officers
33.3% Accident
IN — Statewide
151
of 503 officers
30% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Walter Poturalski's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Walter Poturalski Compares

Age at Death
31
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
8
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Poturalski is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897