Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Nick Ethen suffered a fatal heart attack while investigating a burglary at the Peavey grain elevator on College Street.
He and the county sheriff were inspecting the facility when he suddenly collapsed.
Patrolman Ethen was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Devils Lake Police Department for six years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, and four siblings.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-ND-993C0010- 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 Ethen gave the Devils Lake Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Devils Lake 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
Nicholas J. Ethen served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Nicholas J. Ethen is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In ND, 7 of 61 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 11.5% of this state's fallen. That is 7.5 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At Devils Lake Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Nicholas J. Ethen's cause is highlighted.
How Nicholas J. Ethen Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Nicholas J. Ethen is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Devils Lake Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
