Roman C. Steinke
Agency patch
Detective

Roman C. Steinke

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch February 13, 1954
Age 42
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Badge 4706
The Vigil Panel 198 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Roman Steinke and Detective Jeremiah Lucey were fatally wounded at 2705 W. Diversey Avenue by the owner of a laundry they were attempting to arrest. The detectives had gone to the laundry and attempted to arrest the laundry owner for slapping a boy. The man claimed he did not know that Detective Steinke and Detective Lucey were police officers but instead thought the plainclothes officers had come into his shop to beat him. After the shooting, the man had barricaded himself in the laundry and held 150 policemen at bay for 30 minutes before he was captured. He was also critically wounded in the battle and died in the hospital 10 weeks later. Detective Roman Steinke succumbed to his wounds and died one week later. Detective Steinke had served with the Chicago Police Department for 13 years and was assigned to the Shakespeare District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtnc99k1sk6fead5g7c7b
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Roman. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Steinke gave the Chicago Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Steinke.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 13, 1954
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Age 42
Badge Number 4706
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Roman is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1954, 76 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 92nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Roman was 42. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Roman had served 13 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 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Roman among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective Roman C. Steinke

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch February 13, 1954

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 36-E

↑