Ernest Cecil Holbert
Agency patch
Patrolman

Ernest Cecil Holbert

Cleveland Division of Police — Cleveland, OH
Felonious
End of Watch October 25, 1987
Age 59
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
The Vigil Panel 132 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Ernest Holbert died from complications of a gunshot wound sustained 15 years earlier.

Patrolman Holbert and another officer were attempting to arrest an intoxicated man in connection with an accident on Buckeye Road and East Boulevard. The man produced a handgun and opened fire on the officers. Although both officers were wounded, they returned fire and killed the suspect.

Patrolman Holbert was struck in the head by one of the rounds. The wound caused him to undergo four operations in which parts of his brain were removed as a result of bullet fragments. He died of complications from a combination of the initial wounds and the ongoing operations.

Patrolman Holbert had served with the Cleveland Police Department for 19 years. He was survived by his wife and eight children. Two of his brothers also served with the Cleveland Police Department.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and eight children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
NW-9H0Q-DVBP-3 earlier record number BO-US-OH-35A2AC12
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Holbert gave the Cleveland Division of Police 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Holbert.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH
Platform Identity cdpd.cuyahoga.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 25, 1987
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Age 59
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Ernest is one of 15,741 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.2% of the 27,543 remembered there.

33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1987, 97 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 55th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ernest was 59. Of the 14,215 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Ernest had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 7.8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.2% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Cleveland Division of Police has 119 officers remembered here, Ernest among them.

Across the years

Patrolman Ernest Cecil Holbert

Cleveland Division of Police · End of Watch October 25, 1987

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 44-E

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