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Detective First Grade

Robert L. Parker

New York City Police Department — New York, NY

Felonious

End of Watch September 10, 2004

Age 43

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Badge 2988

The Vigil Panel 152 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 1,221

Incident

Robert L. Parker was a 22-year veteran of the New York City Police Department assigned to the 67 Detective Squad in Brooklyn, where he was respected as a mentor to other detectives.

On 10 September 2004, a woman called the 67 Precinct to report that her son was threatening her and trying to steal her car. Detective Parker and his partner, Det. Patrick Rafferty, responded to the address in East Flatbush. At about 8:40 p.m., as they tried to remove the son, Marlon Legere, 28, from his mother's car, Legere grabbed Detective Parker's service weapon and shot both detectives at close range. Detective Parker was hit twice in the chest and twice in the right leg. Detective Rafferty fired one round, wounding Legere, who carjacked a minivan and fled but was captured less than two hours later. Both detectives died of their wounds.

Detective Parker was 43 years old. In February 2006, Legere was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. A street on Snyder Avenue between Utica and Nostrand Avenues in Brooklyn was named "Detectives R. Parker and P. Rafferty Way" in their honor.

Both detectives were posthumously promoted to Detective First Grade by Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly.

Survivors

He is survived by his daughter.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

22 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Parker gave the New York City Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Parker.

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

Agency

Department New York City Police Department

Type Police Department

Location New York, NY

Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 10, 2004

Tour of Duty 22 yrs

Age 43

Badge Number 2988

Gender Male

Assignment 67 Detective Squad

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Robert 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.

Compare against

Time

In 2004, 79 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 86th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Robert was 43. 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. Robert had served 22 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded