Roll of Honor

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Police Officer

Ruben Roy Farmer

Idabel Police Department — Idabel, OK

Felonious Veteran →

End of Watch January 20, 1980

Age 35

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 122 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military

Incident

Officer Ruben Farmer was shot and killed when he and several other officers responding to a riot in downtown Idabel. The crowd was rioting after a young boy was beaten to death. Several officers were injured and Officer Farmer was shot in the chest.

The suspect was apprehended and convicted.

Officer Farmer had been with the agency for seven years and had previously served with the United States Army.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OK-FC6694ED
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 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.
Police Officer Farmer gave the Idabel Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Idabel 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

Department Idabel Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Idabel, McCurtain County, OK

Platform Identity ipd.mccurtain.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 20, 1980

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Ruben Roy Farmer served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Ruben Roy Farmer is one of 17,559 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,587 officers honored here.

In OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15.3 percentage points above the national rate of 53.9%.

Idabel Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

OK — Statewide

403

of 582 officers

69.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,559

of 32,587 officers

53.9% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ruben Roy Farmer's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,559 (53.9%)

Accident

10,095 (31%)

Illness

3,037 (9.3%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

334 (1%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

How Ruben Roy Farmer Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Ruben Roy Farmer is highlighted in Jan.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Ruben Roy Farmer was killed by handgun.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Military Service

Ruben Roy Farmer served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Ruben Roy Farmer’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.