Roll of Honor
Incident
Investigator Bret Tepe was killed in an automobile crash while driving on U.S. Route 50 near Spearville at about 9:20 am.
Investigator Tepe was on duty and driving his personal vehicle when a car traveling in the opposite direction experienced a tire blowout. The vehicle crossed into Investigator Tepe's lane and struck his vehicle head-on. He and the driver of the other car were both killed.
At the time of the crash, investigators for the Ford County Sheriff's Office drove their personal vehicles while on duty to reduce the cost of purchasing vehicles by the department.
Investigator Tepe was a U.S. Navy veteran. He had served with the Ford County Sheriff's Office for 12 years and had previously served with the Goodland Police Department for one year.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KS-ADECCF8D- 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.
Investigator Tepe gave the Ford County Sheriff's Office 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Dodge City 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Bret Duane Tepe served in the Navy (1985â1989) before joining law enforcement.
Investigator Bret Duane Tepe 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 KS, 66 of 335 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 19.7% of this state's fallen. That is 11.3 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Ford County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Bret Duane Tepe's cause is highlighted.
How Bret Duane Tepe Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Bret Duane Tepe is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Ford County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
