Sean Wissink

Des Moines Police Department — Des Moines, IA

Accident

End of Watch February 11, 2007

Age 35

Tour of Duty 9 yrs 7 mo

The Vigil Panel 155 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 26

Incident

Police Officer Sean Wissink was killed in an automobile accident on Highway 141 while en route to the airport.

Officer Wissink was a member of the Metro Star Task Force and was one of five officers who were about to leave for New Mexico take part in additional weapons of mass destruction training. He was en route to the airport when it is believed he swerved to avoid a deer in the roadway, causing his department SUV to leave the roadway and overturn several times.

An off duty officer discovered the crash scene and called for rescue personnel. Officer Wissink was transported to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries a short time later.

Officer Wissink had served with the Des Moines Police Department for nine years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-84C44862
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.
Police Officer Wissink gave the Des Moines Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Des Moines community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Wissink.

— 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 11, 2007

Tour of Duty 9 yrs 7 mo

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Police Officer Sean Wissink 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 IA, 71 of 226 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.4% of this state's fallen. That is 0.4 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Des Moines Police Department, 7 of 27 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25.9% of this agency's fallen.

Des Moines Police Department

of 27 officers

25.9% Accident

IA — Statewide

of 226 officers

31.4% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident