Dennis Lee OBradovich

Milwaukee Police Department — Milwaukee, WI

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 17, 1975

Age 30

Tour of Duty 6 yrs 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 116 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 68

Incident

Police Officer Dennis OBradovich was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend four armed suspects who were robbing a lounge. He was off-duty when the four men entered and announced a holdup. When he identified himself and attempted to take action, he was shot. As the suspects fled, they shot him several more times as he lay on the floor. All four suspects, 18, 19, 21, and 22, were convicted of first-degree murder and armed robbery and sentenced to life plus 60 years on February 11, 1976. On May 6, 1977, the 18 and 21-year-olds escaped from Green Bay Prison. The youngest was apprehended in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1978. He attempted to escape again on August 16, 2000, but was caught before he could escape. The other was apprehended in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in 1980. The 18 and 19-year-old suspects were paroled in May of 2006. The other two suspects were still in prison on October 16, 2022, with no chance of parole. Officer Obradovich was a United States Air Force Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Milwaukee Police Department for over six years.

Survivors

He is survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-WI-7CA3E439
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.
Police Officer OBradovich gave the Milwaukee Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee Police Department

Location Milwaukee, WI

Platform Identity mpd.milwaukee.wi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 17, 1975

Tour of Duty 6 yrs 3 mo

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Dennis Lee OBradovich served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Dennis Lee OBradovich 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 WI, 159 of 317 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50.2% of this state's fallen. That is 4 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Milwaukee Police Department, 42 of 69 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this agency's fallen.

Milwaukee Police Department

of 69 officers

60.9% Felonious

WI — Statewide

159

of 317 officers

50.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious