Ricardo Michael Preston
Agency patch
Sergeant

Ricardo Michael Preston

Cardiac
End of Watch August 11, 1988
Age 37
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
The Vigil Panel 133 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Ricardo Preston suffered a fatal heart attack while participating in a SWAT team training exercise at Fort Meade, Maryland. He was navigating an obstacle course when he suddenly collapsed. Sergeant Preston had served with the United States Park Police for 14 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, mother, stepfather, and five siblings.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
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Stewardship
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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.
Sergeant Preston gave the United States Department of the Interior 14 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Preston.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdiusppd.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 11, 1988
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

Ricardo is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1988, 19 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 12th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Ricardo was 37. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Ricardo had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

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

When

August holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Thursdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Interior - United States Park Police has 13 officers remembered here, Ricardo among them.

VI

Where

Sergeant Ricardo Michael Preston

United States Department of the Interior - United States Park Police · End of Watch August 11, 1988

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 55-E

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