Forrest C. Gerken

California Highway Patrol — Sacramento, CA

Accident

End of Watch February 15, 1944

Age 46

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 80 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 233

Incident

Officer Forrest Gerken was killed in a motorcycle accident while on patrol.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-A8CD0F2E
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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.
Officer Gerken gave the California Highway Patrol 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Gerken.

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

Agency

Department California Highway Patrol

Type Highway Patrol

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity chp.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 15, 1944

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Officer Forrest C. Gerken is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,805 officers honored here.

In CA, 720 of 1,839 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.2% of this state's fallen. That is 39.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At California Highway Patrol, 152 of 234 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 65% of this agency's fallen.

California Highway Patrol

152

of 234 officers

65% Accident

CA — Statewide

720

of 1,839 officers

39.2% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,805 officers

0% Accident