Robert D. Ward
Agency patch
Sergeant

Robert D. Ward

Seattle Police Department — Seattle, WA
Felonious
End of Watch May 15, 1969
Age 43
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Robert Ward was killed when suspects in a stolen vehicle rammed his patrol car in front of 1000 1st Avenue S at about 3:35 am. Sergeant Ward and two other officers were on patrol when other officers started pursuing burglary suspects in the stolen vehicle. They proceeded to the area and spotted the suspect's vehicle. The suspect's vehicle swerved into the patrol car's lane, and the vehicles collided head-on. The two officers with Sergeant Ward were injured, and Sergeant Ward was killed. One suspect also died, and the other was arrested. Sergeant Ward had served with the Seattle Police Department for 16 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his three children.

In Our Keeping

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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 Ward gave the Seattle Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Seattle community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Ward.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Seattle, King County, WA
Platform Identity seatpd.king.wa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 15, 1969
Tour of Duty 16 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 1969, 124 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 40th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 43. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Robert had served 16 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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 automobile, in 4.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Seattle Police Department has 60 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant Robert D. Ward

Seattle Police Department · End of Watch May 15, 1969

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 9-E

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