Roll of Honor
Incident
Reserve Officer Bill Sutherlin was shot and killed after locating a fugitive who was the focus of a police manhunt. Officer Sutherlin and several other officers went to the aid of a state trooper who had a suspected car thief trapped in a corn field. Officer Sutherlin had radioed for help saying the suspect was holding a gun on him. Minutes later when the suspect was captured he told where Officer Sutherlin's body could be found. He had been shot through the head. Officer Sutherlin was a veteran of WWII and had served as a volunteer reserve officer with the Fairfield Police Department for six years.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-IA-D3FD122D- Stewardship
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- 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.
Reserve Officer Sutherlin gave the Fairfield Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fairfield 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
Billy Sutherlin served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Reserve Officer Billy Sutherlin 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Billy Sutherlin's cause is highlighted.
How Billy Sutherlin Compares
Offender Outcome
Apprehended
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Billy Sutherlin is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Billy Sutherlin was killed by gun; unknown type.