Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Kenneth Couch drowned while attempting to make a rescue in the Housatonic River. Patrolman Couch and another officer were responding to a report of an empty boat. Before they reached the area, their watercraft stalled twice and then overturned, throwing both officers out of the boat. Workers in the nearby area pulled the other officer from the turbulent water, but were unable to find Patrolman Couch. He was retrieved from the water a few hours later. Patrolman Couch was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and had served with the New Milford Police Department for 10 years. He previously served as the town fire marshal and as a town constable.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two brothers, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CT-212894BF- 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.
Patrolman Couch gave the New Milford Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the New Milford 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
Harmon Kenneth Couch served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Harmon Kenneth Couch is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In CT, 73 of 169 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 43.2% of this state's fallen. That is 12.2 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Harmon Kenneth Couch's cause is highlighted.
How Harmon Kenneth Couch Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Harmon Kenneth Couch is highlighted in Jun.