Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Carl Reese suffered a fatal heart attack after serving a 25-hour tour of duty during the Blizzard of 1977. In his attempt to rescue stranded motorists, push cars out of the snow on Route 5, and bring aid to the sick, Officer Reese made two separate one-mile trips, on foot, to bring medication from a hospital to stranded citizens. Despite suffering from chest pains he continued to assist during the severe weather. Hours later he suffered the fatal heart attack. Patrolman Reese was a U.S. Army veteran.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and child.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-A0F5D8E6- 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 Reese served with the Buffalo Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo 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
Carl O. Reese served in the Army (1961â1963) before joining law enforcement.
Patrolman Carl O. Reese 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 NY, 99 of 2,147 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At Buffalo Police Department, 3 of 51 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Carl O. Reese's cause is highlighted.
How Carl O. Reese Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Carl O. Reese is highlighted in Feb.
Others Who Wore This Badge
50 officers from Buffalo Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
