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Jailer

Robert Reed

Hayward Police Dept. — Hayward, CA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch June 29, 1974

Age 46

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 114 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Jailer Robert Reed was assaulted and strangled to death by an inmate who attempted to escape from the Hayward City Jail, at 22738 Mission Boulevard, at approximately 7:30 am.

The prisoner had been let out of his cell to call a bondsman. After he hung up the phone he attacked Jailer Reed, knocking him to the floor. The man then strangled him and stuffed toilet tissue into his throat. A janitor discovered Jailer Reed's body and alerted other officers.

During the confusion as officers tended to Jailer Reed the inmate escaped through a side door. He was captured minutes later. He was convicted of second degree murder and subsequently sentenced to five years in prison.

Jailer Reed was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Hayward Police Department for four years.

Heavenly Father, I come before You today grieved in heart over the divisions in our country; the United States of America. I grieve for every life lost to violence, regardless of color or creed. And I especially grieve this day over the senseless deaths of America’s Peace Officers whose sworn duty is to protect us from harm. Please grant comfort and hope to their families. I know from the Holy Scriptures in Romans 13 that Peace Officers have a sacred task, to enforce laws that protect the innocent and punish the guilty. I pray that You will protect them as they serve us. Give them wisdom, discernment, and a deep desire to serve You. Please surround every Peace Officer in our nation, the United States of America, with battalions of warring angels to protect them from harm. I stand in the powerful and mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ against every work of Satan intended to inflict injury and death on our Protectors. May Satan’s power be thwarted, in Your mighty and holy name, and his plans exposed by Your Light. In the mighty and holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Redeemer, and the Mediator between us, Heavenly Father, in prayer, and by His authority, I pray! Amen.

Please find Encouragement, Comfort, Support, and Hope from God's Word:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” [Matthew 5:9 ESV];

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." [Psalm 23:4 ESV];

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." [John 15:13 ESV];

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." [Matthew 5:4 ESV];

"And he [Jesus] said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise." [Luke 23:43 ESV], and;

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." [John 3:16 ESV].

Chaplain Steven R. Closs, DDiv, MSBS, NACM, NCCA Ordained Independent NACM Minister The Badge 183 Peacemakers Prayer Ministry Member: Fellowship of Christian Peace Officers - USA

Captain Steven R. Closs (Retired) Nashua NH Police Department (1974-1998) June 29th, 2025

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-073F2DA1
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 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.
Jailer Reed gave the Hayward Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hayward 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 Hayward Police Dept.

Location Hayward, CA

Platform Identity hpd.alameda.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 29, 1974

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Person

Offender Sentenced to 5 years

Military Service

Robert Reed served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Jailer Robert Reed 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Hayward Police Dept., 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Hayward Police Dept.

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious