Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Ernest Malatinka was found dead of a gunshot wound inside the Robertsdale substation.
The following month, Sergeant Malatinka's death was ruled accidental as gun-cleaning materials were found on his desk and he had apparently been shot with the shotgun he had been cleaning.
Sergeant Malatinka had served with the Hammond Police Department for 17 years.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IN-391022A0- 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.
Sergeant Malatinka gave the Hammond Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hammond community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Malatinka.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Ernest J. Malatinka 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 IN, 151 of 503 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Hammond Police Dept., 1 of 8 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 12.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ernest J. Malatinka's cause is highlighted.
How Ernest J. Malatinka Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Ernest J. Malatinka is highlighted in Dec.
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Hammond Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
