Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Arthur Koch was shot and killed after being ambushed at the 600 block of Berkeley Way in Fairfield. At 6:20 p.m., Sergeant Koch responded to a shooting call in a residential neighborhood and had parked his car nearby. As he walked towards the scene, the suspect shot him with a high-powered rifle. He succumbed to his injuries approximately nine hours later at Intercommunity Hospital. Sergeant Koch had just been promoted and was shot on his last shift as a patrol officer. The suspect, 37, who barricaded himself in his home, surrendered seven hours later. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life without parole. He died in prison in 2017. Sergeant Koch was a United States Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran and had served five years with the Fairfield Police Department. He had previously served with the California Highway Patrol.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, three children, and parents.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-7035A0E0- 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.
Sergeant Koch gave the Fairfield Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fairfield 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
Arthur W. Koch served in the Marine Corps (1968â1972) before joining law enforcement.
Sergeant Arthur W. Koch 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Arthur W. Koch's cause is highlighted.
How Arthur W. Koch Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to Life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Arthur W. Koch is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Arthur W. Koch was killed by rifle.