John M. Dumke
Agency patch
Detective

John M. Dumke

Buffalo Police Department — Buffalo, NY
Felonious
End of Watch April 20, 1919
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Detective John Dumke was shot and killed while attempting to serve an arrest warrant for larceny. Three days later the 26-year-old suspect was found in a house near the crime scene, dead from a self inflicted gun shot wound. Detective Dumke had served with the Buffalo Police Department for eight years and was assigned to Precinct 4.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two 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.
Detective Dumke gave the Buffalo Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Dumke.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Buffalo, Erie County, NY
Platform Identity bpd.erie.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 20, 1919
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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 1919, 212 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 7th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

April holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Buffalo Police Department has 51 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years

Detective John M. Dumke

Buffalo Police Department · End of Watch April 20, 1919

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 43-E

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