Barry Dean Melear

Atlanta Police Department — Atlanta, GA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch September 23, 1977

Age 29

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 119 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 87

Incident

Police Officer Barry Melear was shot and killed as he and his partner were searching three suspects. The officers had caught the men breaking into an automobile while working a special car theft detail. As they were searching them the last man pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Melear in the head. Officer Melear was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Atlanta Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-GA-74FDFAF1
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.
Police Officer Melear gave the Atlanta Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Atlanta 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

Department Atlanta Police Department

Location Atlanta, GA

Platform Identity apd.fulton.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 23, 1977

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Not available

Military Service

Barry Dean Melear served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Barry Dean Melear 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Atlanta Police Department, 58 of 88 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.9% of this agency's fallen.

Atlanta Police Department

of 88 officers

65.9% Felonious

GA — Statewide

548

of 903 officers

60.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious