Policeman

Jose Miguel Ortiz-Otero

Puerto Rico Police Department — San Juan, 127
Accident
End of Watch August 8, 1983
Age 32
Badge 2760
The Vigil Panel 127 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Policeman Ortiz-Otero was struck and killed by a patrol car during a pursuit of a motorcycle. He and other officers were providing security at a United States - Puerto Rico Olympic Team basketball game when he received word that there was a pursuit heading towards him on State Highway 3. As the vehicle motorcycle approached, he stepped into the roadway to attempt to get the man to stop but was inadvertently struck by the patrol car.

Survivors

Policeman Ortiz-Otero 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.
Policeman Ortiz-Otero served with the Puerto Rico Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Juan community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Ortiz-Otero.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Juan, 127
Platform Identity prpd.pr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 8, 1983
Age 32
Badge Number 2760
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Accident

Jose is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 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 1983, 74 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 36th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Jose was 32. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36.

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

When

August holds 9.5% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause. The weapon recorded was automobile, in 6.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Puerto Rico Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Jose among them.

Across the years

Policeman Jose Miguel Ortiz-Otero

Puerto Rico Police Department · End of Watch August 8, 1983

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 11-W

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