Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Ralph Sorli was off-duty when he heard an alarm ringing at a service station near his home. Police Officer Sorli proceeded to investigate and found a broken window at the scene. Police Officer Sorli then notified the police. Police Officer Sorli waited at the scene for the police and an owner to arrive. After leaving the scene at approximately 2:00 a.m., Police Officer Sorli, while crossing Route 25A on foot, was hit by a car and killed instantly. The 20-year-old operator of the vehicle left the scene of the crash, but later turned himself in an hour later at the Sixth Precinct. The subject was charged with leaving the scene of an accident. He said because it was raining so hard he did not see Officer Sorli.
Survivors
Police Officer Sorli was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-6B6E942C- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Sorli gave the Suffolk County Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Yaphank community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Sorli.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Ralph Sorli is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Suffolk County Police Department, 10 of 27 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 37% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ralph Sorli's cause is highlighted.
How Ralph Sorli Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Ralph Sorli is highlighted in Aug.
Others Who Wore This Badge
26 officers from Suffolk County Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
