Augustus C. Becker

Des Moines Police Department — Des Moines, IA

Illness Veteran

End of Watch February 19, 1904

Age 60

The Vigil Panel 19 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 26

Incident

Sergeant Augustus Becker suffered a fatal stroke while transporting an injured man to Mercy Hospital.

He had assigned as the wagon man for the night and was also responsible for driving the city ambulance. He had responded to the Chicago Great Western Railroad's roundhouse, in the area of Thomas Beck Road, and placed the injured man into the ambulance. Moments later he collapsed in the ambulance's seat. He was taken to Mercy Hospital where he died several hours later.

Sergeant Becker was a Union Army veteran of the Civil War.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and several grown children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-0A95F44F
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 Becker served with the Des Moines Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Des Moines 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

Department Des Moines Police Department

Location Des Moines, IA

Platform Identity dmpd.polk.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 19, 1904

Age 60

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Military Service

Augustus C. Becker served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant Augustus C. Becker is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In IA, 12 of 226 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 5.3% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.

At Des Moines Police Department, 2 of 27 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 7.4% of this agency's fallen.

Des Moines Police Department

of 27 officers

7.4% Illness

IA — Statewide

of 226 officers

5.3% Illness

Nationwide

2,974

of 32,508 officers

9.1% Illness