Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman John Ruffolo was struck by a vehicle and seriously injured while investigating an accident in the area of 45th Street and Prospect Street. He died from his injuries four months later. Patrolman Ruffolo was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Kansas City Police Department for less than one year.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MO-8470B3A8- 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.
Patrolman Ruffolo served with the Kansas City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Kansas City 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
John Ruffolo served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman John Ruffolo 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 MO, 237 of 813 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.2% of this state's fallen. That is 1.8 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Kansas City Police Department, 47 of 120 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Ruffolo's cause is highlighted.
How John Ruffolo Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John Ruffolo is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
119 officers from Kansas City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
