Harold Eugene Vanderoef, Jr.

Suffolk County Sheriff's Office — Yaphank, NY

Accident Veteran

End of Watch June 4, 1987

Age 51

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Harold Vanderoef was struck and killed by a vehicle while attempting to reach victims of an accident on Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore. He and another deputy came across the crash and were attempting to cross the highway to reach the victims when Deputy Vanderoef was fatally struck. Deputy Vanderoef was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-D4AAB23E
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.
Deputy Sheriff Vanderoef served with the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Yaphank 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

Department Suffolk County Sheriff's Office

Location Yaphank, NY

Platform Identity scso.suffolk.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 4, 1987

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Harold Eugene Vanderoef, Jr. served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Deputy Sheriff Harold Eugene Vanderoef, Jr. 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 NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 6 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.7% of this agency's fallen.

Suffolk County Sheriff's Office

of 6 officers

16.7% Accident

NY — Statewide

645

of 2,147 officers

30% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident