Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Claude Rupe was killed in a motorcycle accident while patrolling Maryland Avenue, SW. His motorcycle slid on wet pavement, throwing him to the ground. He was transported to Emergency Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the following day. Officer Rupe had been with the Metropolitan Police Department for just under five years and was assigned to the Sixth Precinct. He was survived by his wife and infant son. He was buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and infant son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-4BBB11E0- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Rupe gave the Metropolitan Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Rupe.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Officer Claude O. Rupe 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 DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Metropolitan Police Department, 48 of 131 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 36.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Claude O. Rupe's cause is highlighted.
How Claude O. Rupe Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Claude O. Rupe is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
130 officers from Metropolitan Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
