Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Thomas Buntrock was accidentally shot and killed by another officer following an armed robbery and hostage situation. The robbery suspect fled into a home where he took a man and infant child hostage. Chief Buntrock was able to negotiate the release of the hostages in exchange for taking the Chief hostage. The suspect and Chief Buntrock moved to an automobile with Chief Buntrock in the driver's seat and the suspect in the rear seat. The vehicle remained in the same place, and as it became dark out, Chief Buntrock lunged into the rear seat and was able to subdue the suspect and disarm him. As Chief Buntrock emerged from the vehicle, one of the officers mistook him for the suspect and opened fire, fatally wounding him. The hostage taker and robbery suspect was out on bail and had not returned to his court-ordered halfway house, where he was to stay until he was sentenced for robbery and injuring police officers, was also shot and killed. Chief Buntrock had served with the Mequon Police Department for 19 years. He was survived by his wife and four sons. Chief Buntrock was a graduate of the 100th Session of the FBI National Academy.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-WI-F85416C6- 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.
Chief of Police Buntrock gave the Mequon Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Mequon community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Buntrock.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Thomas Elroy Buntrock 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 WI, 124 of 317 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Mequon Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Elroy Buntrock's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Elroy Buntrock Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Elroy Buntrock is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Mequon Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
