Incident
Officer Richard Wagner suffered a fatal heart attack while involved in a foot pursuit of a suspected car thief. He collapsed while chasing the suspect, who had abandoned the vehicle, through a Northside neighborhood. The suspect evaded capture. Officer Wagner collapsed upon returning to his patrol car and was rushed to the hospital. Officer Wagner had served with the agency for nearly 17 years. He was to receive a meritorious duty citation on Nov. 18, 1990 for pulling a wounded officer from the line of fire during a shootout the previous May. He was awarded the citation posthumously.
Survivors
Officer Wagner was survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- 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.
Police Officer Wagner gave the Milwaukee Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Milwaukee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Wagner.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Cardiac
Milwaukee Police Department has lost 69 officers; 3 of them lost to cardiac events.
Richard is one of 23 officers lost to cardiac events in WI, 7.2% of the 318 remembered there.
Richard is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Richard is one of 1,309 officers lost to cardiac events worldwide, 3.9% of the 33,917 remembered here.
33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1990, 1 officer in WI was lost to cardiac events, the 3rd heaviest of 21 years on record. The heaviest was 1963, with 2.
In 1990, 10 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 61st heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
In 1990, 10 officers worldwide were lost to cardiac events, the 61st heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
Who
Richard was 42. Of the 22 lost to cardiac events in WI whose age is recorded, half were between 41 and 55.8; the middle age was 48.5. Richard had served 16.8 years; the middle length of service was 17.5 years.
Richard was 42. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Richard had served 16.8 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
Richard was 42. Of the 1,251 lost to cardiac events worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 42.5 and 55; the middle age was 48. Richard had served 16.8 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
When
October holds 13% of these deaths in WI; May holds the most, 30.4%. Thursdays: 17.4%.
October holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Thursdays: 14.5%.
October holds 9.3% of these deaths worldwide; January holds the most, 9.5%. Thursdays: 14.5%.
How
Cardiac deaths account for 4.3% of all 69 deaths at Milwaukee Police Department, the 3rd most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 7.2% of all 318 deaths in WI, the 3rd most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 3.9% of all 33,917 deaths worldwide, the 4th most common cause.
His people
Milwaukee Police Department has 69 officers remembered here, Richard among them.
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Frank Piszczek
Jun 22, 1884
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John Kossow
Sep 30, 1899
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Ernest Johnson
Sep 15, 1904
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Otto H. Flieth
Dec 17, 1908
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Peter Gauer
Jul 3, 1909
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Charles William Gudgell
Aug 22, 1916
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Frank Caswin
Nov 24, 1917
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Henry Deckert
Nov 24, 1917
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Frederick Kaiser
Nov 24, 1917
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David O'Brien
Nov 24, 1917
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Charles Seehawer
Nov 24, 1917
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Edward Spindler
Nov 24, 1917
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Stephen Stecker
Nov 24, 1917
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Albert Templin
Nov 24, 1917
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Paul Weiler
Nov 24, 1917
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William F. Kaemmerling
Jan 28, 1922
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Joseph Kubacki
May 24, 1924
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Walter Luedtke
Dec 18, 1924
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Harry W. Schmidt
Apr 4, 1925
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Hilbert F. Thurow
Aug 22, 1930
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Robert E. Bahlke, Jr.
Feb 23, 1932
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Richard R. Zingler
Feb 8, 1933
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Harry Pieske
Jun 27, 1935
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Charles George
Jun 8, 1936
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Nels Goodman
Aug 10, 1937
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George H. Raabe
Nov 2, 1937
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Albert Charles Grosskopf
Feb 13, 1943
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Joseph A. Lecher
Mar 21, 1943
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Arnold O. Werner
Jul 10, 1943
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Valentine Adam, Jr.
Mar 6, 1948
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Elmer A. Bates
Aug 23, 1948
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Vernon V. White
Nov 10, 1951
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Raymond A. Nencki
Oct 5, 1959
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Robert Elroy Kraemer
Feb 7, 1963
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James J. Rivers
Mar 21, 1966
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Ronald T. Hogan
May 2, 1967
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Bryan J. Moschea
Jul 31, 1967
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George Fish
Sep 22, 1970
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Alan Sroczynski
Nov 8, 1970
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Paul G. DuPlanty
Nov 9, 1971
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Gerald William Hempe
Jan 31, 1973
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Charles T. Smith
Jan 31, 1973
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Ronald Patrick Reagan
Dec 13, 1973
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Thomas George Matulis
Jul 10, 1974
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Robert D. Riley
Jul 10, 1974
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Michael L. Draeger
Dec 28, 1974
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Dennis Lee OBradovich
Aug 17, 1975
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Albert C. Kohn
Oct 29, 1975
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Thomas Randy Kiefer
Nov 25, 1977
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John A. Machajewski
Dec 23, 1981
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Charles S. Mehlberg
Dec 23, 1981
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Sydney Carter Snow, Jr.
Jan 30, 1982
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Rosario Joseph Collura
Mar 19, 1985
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Leonard Raymond Lesnieski
Mar 19, 1985
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Dennis J. Gorlewski
Mar 25, 1987
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Roger A. Sterling
May 11, 1987
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Steven John Hasenstab
Aug 19, 1989
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Richard E. Wagner
Oct 25, 1990
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Michael R. Tourmo
Nov 18, 1990
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William Arthur Robertson
Sep 7, 1994
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Michael Andrew Niehoff
Nov 30, 1994
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Wendolyn Odell Tanner
Sep 7, 1996
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Jason Vetter
Oct 2, 2017
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Charles G. Irvine, Jr.
Jun 7, 2018
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Michael John Michalski
Jul 25, 2018
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Matthew John Rittner
Feb 6, 2019
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Mark Shawn Lentz
Sep 18, 2019
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Peter E. C. Jerving
Feb 7, 2023
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Kendall Isaiah Corder
Jun 29, 2025
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 14-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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