Roll of Honor
Incident
Lieutenant Otto Dobratz suffered a fatal heart attack while investigating a fatal accidental shooting at Hallmere Reservoir.
He was at the scene of the shooting when he suddenly collapsed while attempting to radio police headquarters to inform them the shooting actually happened in Kensington.
Lieutenant Dobratz was U.S. Army veteran of WWI and recipient of the Purple Heart. He had served with the Meriden Police Department for over 25 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, four brothers, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CT-18613086- 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.
Lieutenant Dobratz gave the Meriden Police Department 25 years.
Thank you for your service to the Meriden community. Thank you 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
Otto Ernest Dobratz served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Lieutenant Otto Ernest Dobratz is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In CT, 14 of 169 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 8.3% of this state's fallen. That is 4.3 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At Meriden Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Otto Ernest Dobratz's cause is highlighted.
How Otto Ernest Dobratz Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Otto Ernest Dobratz is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Meriden Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
