Robert T. Hansel

Lynch Police Department — Lynch, KY

Accident

End of Watch October 5, 2003

Age 56

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

The Vigil Panel 151 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Captain Robert Hansel was killed in an automobile collision while en route to conduct an interview regarding a narcotics investigation. His patrol car struck the back of a coal truck on U.S. 119 in the town of Dione.

Captain Hansel had served with the Lynch Police Department for 13 years and had previously served with the Harlan Police Department for 14 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, four children, and mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-11CC7073
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Robert. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

27 years. You could have gone home.
Captain Hansel gave the Lynch Police Department 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Lynch community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Hansel.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Lynch Police Department

Location Lynch, KY

Platform Identity lyncpd.harlan.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 5, 2003

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

Age 56

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Captain Robert T. Hansel 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 KY, 161 of 983 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.4% of this state's fallen. That is 14.6 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Lynch Police Department, 1 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 20% of this agency's fallen.

Lynch Police Department

of 5 officers

20% Accident

KY — Statewide

161

of 983 officers

16.4% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident