Roll of Honor

Prev Next

Deputy Sheriff

Frederick G. "Harry" Cleveland

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. — Monterey Park, CA

Felonious

End of Watch March 7, 1920

Age 31

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 38 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 119

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Harry Cleveland succumbed to injuries sustained on September 22nd, 1918, while transporting two robbery suspects to Los Angeles.

He and his partner had responded to the El Monte area to search for a vehicle involved in several robberies in Los Angeles County and Riverside County earlier in the evening. They had received reports that the car was driving toward El Monte. They observed the vehicle on Valley Boulevard near the El Monte Bridge and attempted to stop it. The vehicle turned onto a side road and initially attempted to flee, but then came to a stop.

The occupants of the vehicle, a father and two adult sons, had committed the robberies and were also responsible for numerous automobile thefts. While the deputies disarmed the two sons the father was able to conceal his pistol in the front seat of his car. After searching the father, it was determined that Deputy Cleveland would ride in the back seat of the suspects' vehicle with the two sons in the front. The deputy followed in the patrol car with the father as a passenger. After driving a short distance, the son in the front passenger seat grabbed the hidden gun and shot at Deputy Cleveland, slightly wounding him. A violent struggle over the gun ensued in which Deputy Cleveland shot the subject in the leg four times.

As the two struggled the other brother picked up a heavy piece of metal and hit Deputy Cleveland in the head with it several times.

When the cars came to a stop the other deputy immediately exited his car with a shotgun and shot the wounded brother in the face, wounding him. The father then came to the car, grabbed Deputy Cleveland's pistol, and ordered the deputy to drop his shotgun. Instead of dropping his gun, the deputy fired from the hip and killed the father. The second son then surrendered.

Both sons were convicted of numerous robberies and sentenced to one year to life in prison. They were both released from prison on May 11th, 1922 and completed parole in 1923. They were never charged with Deputy Cleveland's murder.

Deputy Cleveland never recovered from the head injuries and died as a result on March 7th, 1920.

Deputy Cleveland had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for three years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-1D9EF591
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Frederick. 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.
Deputy Sheriff Cleveland gave the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Cleveland.

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

Agency

Department Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept.

Location Monterey Park, CA

Platform Identity lacso.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 7, 1920

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Assault

Weapon Blunt object

Offender Released in 1922

Deputy Sheriff Frederick G. "Harry" Cleveland 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 Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept., 58 of 120 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept.

of 120 officers

48.3% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious