Gerrit George Brandsma

Grand Rapids Police Department — Grand Rapids, MI

Felonious

End of Watch December 7, 1921

Age 38

Badge 11

The Vigil Panel 42 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Special Officer Brandsma and Detective Samuel Slater were shot and killed after responding to a house to arrest suspect bank robbers, four men and a woman. Detective Slater and Officer Brandsma were acting on a tip that said two suspected bank robbers were at a house at 455 Weaver Street SE (Present day Ardmore Street SE) . The tip was thought to be false by Detective Slater since so many tips had been false throughout the day. Detective Slater elected to take just one officer, Officer Brandsma, to assist him. As the officers arrived at the home of the tipster, who lived across from the suspect's home, the suspects saw them and turned out all the lights. The two officers watched the home for a short time, and then decided to go knock on the door. As the two officers were walking up the sidewalk leading to the door of the suspect's home, shots rang out. Detective Slater was shot through the door. Officer Brandsma rushed the door and forced his way into the home but was shot several times when be entered the home and was killed instantly. Detective Slater staggered back to the tipster's home where he collapsed. He was brought to the hospital by responding officers and died two days later. The suspects escaped in a stolen car. One of the suspects was captured in Detroit, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. On August 16, 1931, during a riot at Marquette Penitentiary, a rioter shot him in the chest as he risked his life in an attempt to save the prison doctor and a fellow inmate whom the rioters killed. He recovered, and out of appreciation for his heroism he was released on May 4, 1932. On December 18, 1922, four men and two women in Denver, Colorado, robbed a federal mint bank truck of $200,000. As they fled from the scene a bank guard jumped on the running board of their car and shot one of the robbers. A month later the car, with his frozen body inside, was found in a remote area near Denver. He was identified as one of the suspects who murdered Officer Brand

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-62D37572
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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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Officer Brandsma served with the Grand Rapids Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Grand Rapids community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Brandsma.

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

Agency

Department Grand Rapids Police Department

Location Grand Rapids, MI

Platform Identity grpd.kent.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 7, 1921

Age 38

Badge Number 11

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Not available

Special Officer Gerrit George Brandsma 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Grand Rapids Police Department, 8 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.3% of this agency's fallen.

Grand Rapids Police Department

of 15 officers

53.3% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious