Mark Radden
Agency patch
Police Officer

Mark Radden

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Accident
End of Watch February 5, 1986
Age 24
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Badge 4850
The Vigil Panel 130 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Mark Radden and Officer Jack Buffa were shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity. Officer Buffa and his partner, who were in plainclothes, were performing a drug raid at a home. At the same time as the raid, Officer Radden and his partner, also in plainclothes, were responding to a report of a shooting at the same home. Neither pair of officers knew the other was at the home and when they encountered each other shots were exchanged. Officer Radden and Officer Buffa were both fatally wounded.

Survivors

Officer Radden is survived by his young daughter, parents, and three siblings.

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.
Police Officer Radden served with the Detroit Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Radden.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 5, 1986
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Age 24
Badge Number 4850
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Mark is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1986, 82 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 23rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Mark was 24. 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. Mark had served 0.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Mark among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Mark Radden

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch February 5, 1986

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 44-E

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