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Incident
Officer Robert Drake succumbed to injuries sustained in a fall while on duty. Officer Drake was found on a pile of lumber at the base of a fifteen-foot drop into an elevator shaft at 34 North Broadway. He had gone on duty on the evening of October 10th, 1930, assigned to a different partner for the early morning. It appeared that he fell into the shaft around midnight, but wasn’t found until building employees discovered him the next morning. He was unconscious and died shortly afterward. Officer Drake had served with the Portland Police Bureau for 18 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
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- 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.
Officer Drake gave the Portland Police Bureau 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Portland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Drake.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Accident
Portland Police Bureau has lost 31 officers; 16 of them lost to accidents.
Robert is one of 66 officers lost to accidents in OR, 33.5% of the 197 remembered there.
Robert is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Robert is one of 10,100 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.8% of the 33,917 remembered here.
33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1930, 1 officer at Portland Police Bureau was lost to accidents, the 3rd heaviest of 14 years on record. The heaviest was 1914, with 2.
In 1930, 1 officer in OR was lost to accidents, the 19th heaviest of 45 years on record. The heaviest was 1961, with 3.
In 1930, 113 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 3rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1930, 131 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, more than in any other year.
Who
Robert was 54. Of the 16 lost to accidents at Portland Police Bureau whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 38.3; the middle age was 33.5. Robert had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 5.2 years.
Robert was 54. Of the 59 lost to accidents in OR whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 44.5; the middle age was 36. Robert had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 5 years.
Robert was 54. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Robert had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Robert was 54. Of the 9,451 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. Robert had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
October holds 6.3% of these deaths at Portland Police Bureau; May holds the most, 25%. Saturdays: 31.3%.
October holds 4.5% of these deaths in OR; May holds the most, 16.7%. Saturdays: 18.2%.
October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.9%.
October holds 9.2% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Saturdays: 14.7%.
How
Accident deaths account for 51.6% of all 31 deaths at Portland Police Bureau, the most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 33.5% of all 197 deaths in OR, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.8% of all 33,917 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
Portland Police Bureau has 31 officers remembered here, Robert among them.
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Thomas G. O'Connor
Aug 30, 1867
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Charles F. Schoppe
Jun 13, 1874
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Samuel Smyth Young
Sep 23, 1908
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Albert W. Moe
Jan 9, 1914
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James R. White
Nov 17, 1914
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Ralph H. Stahl
Jan 27, 1915
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James C. Gill
Nov 30, 1915
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John J. McCarthy
Jul 21, 1916
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Andrew James Laugeson
May 12, 1917
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Glenn Logan Litzenberg
Apr 19, 1918
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Peter Walter Jost Oct 22, 1918
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Jerome Palmer
Nov 17, 1920
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James David Wright
Jan 21, 1923
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Robert E. Drake
Oct 11, 1930
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Charles M. White
Jun 30, 1934
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Phillip R. Johnson
May 19, 1941
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Charles E. Vincent
Mar 22, 1942
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James A. Hines
Nov 4, 1945
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Gilbert Haven Horton
Dec 23, 1946
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Roy Edward Mizner
Feb 18, 1956
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Vernon Jacob Stroeder
Feb 18, 1956
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Roger L. Davies
Apr 18, 1961
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Robert Paul Murray
May 2, 1962
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Robert R. Ferron, Jr.
May 23, 1964
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Stephen Michael Owens
Sep 23, 1973
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Dennis Allen Darden
Aug 9, 1974
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David Wayne Crowther
Dec 27, 1979
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Stanley Dale Pounds
Jul 18, 1984
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Thomas Layton Jeffries
Jul 21, 1997
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Colleen Ann Waibel
Jan 27, 1998
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Kirk Robert Huffstetler
May 26, 2002
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 36-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
30 officers from Portland Police Bureau are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
