Elmer Glaefke

Cleveland Division of Police — Cleveland, OH

Felonious

End of Watch September 12, 1917

Age 34

The Vigil Panel 33 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 118

Incident

Patrolman Glaefke was shot and killed as he and his partner searched three men for concealed weapons at Seager Avenue and East 86th Street at 2:05 am. As the plainclothes officers searched one of the men the other two produced handguns and opened fire, striking Patrolman Glaefke in the head, heart, and abdomen. The three men fled and were pursued by Patrolman Glaefke's partner. The three were eventually apprehended. One of the men was sentenced to life, the second was acquitted, and the third jumped bond and disappeared. The suspect who jumped bond, Tony Lombardo, resurfaced in 1925 as one of Chicago's most famous gangsters. He used his money and power to get the murder charges against him dropped. In September of 1928 he was shot and killed in Chicago. Police were unable to determine if his assassination was ordered by a rival gangster or was retaliation for Patrolman Glaefke's murder. The suspect who was sentenced to life was pardoned by Ohio Governor Vic Donahey in 1926. On April 2, 1930, his body was found in the gutter of an east side Cleveland street. He had been shot in the head.

Survivors

Patrolman Glaefke was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-7AA56972
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Glaefke served with the Cleveland Division of Police.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Glaefke.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Cleveland Division of Police

Location Cleveland, OH

Platform Identity cdpd.cuyahoga.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 12, 1917

Age 34

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Sentenced to life

Patrolman Elmer Glaefke is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Cleveland Division of Police, 83 of 119 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.7% of this agency's fallen.

Cleveland Division of Police

of 119 officers

69.7% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious