The Colorado Springs Police Department has lost thirteen officers in the line of duty since it was established. In eternal memoriam, we honor them with this page and hope that the page will serve as a beacon of hope and remind us that these officers stood between us and evil. Their dedication and ultimate sacrifice have contributed to the safety of our community. They will not be forgotten.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" - Edmund Burke
Benjamin Franklin Bish
Patrolman - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: July 30, 1863 Tour of Duty: 69 days
End Of Watch: June 28, 1896
While checking the alley just west of Tejon Street, Officer Bish came across two men attempting to break into the rear of a store. Officer Bish was escorting the two men out of the alley when one of the suspects (Clark) drew a gun and fired a shot, mortally wounding Officer Bish in the chest. Officer Bish fired three shots in response without effect. Clark then hid in a coal bin and committed suicide. Coyne was arrested and plead guilty and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled after seventeen years. The two suspects lived in the boarding house next door to the Bish house.
John William Rowan
Chief of Detectives - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: August 17, 1873 Tour of Duty: 13 years
End Of Watch: September 13, 1918
John Rowan had served the citizens of Colorado Springs for many years when he was promoted to the rank of Chief of Detectives. Detective Rowan received information that a notorious group of bank robbers, known as the Lewis-Jones Gang, were in town and had been seen at a filling station. Detective Rowan and a small group of officers went to the filling station. As Detective Rowan approached the car, one of the robbers pulled out a weapon and shot him in the chest, killing him instantly. After escaping the scene, the three Lewis-Jones gang members involved (Dale Jones, Margie Jones, and Roscoe Lancaster) were all killed by police.
NOTE: Roscoe was killed in a shoot-out with Kansas City police and the Jones' in a shoot-out with Los Angeles County deputies in Arcadia, CA. A California deputy, George Van Vliet, lost his life in the Jones' shootout.
George Kaltenberger, Sr.
Detective Sergeant - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: 1893 Tour of Duty: 24 years
End Of Watch: June 12, 1941
On May 31, Detective Sergeant Kaltenberger was accidentally shot in the abdomen. While at work in the city's police station, now the old City Hall building, Kaltenberger's own .45 caliber automatic dislodged from his holster, fell to the floor, and discharged. He died several days later, one day after the 24th anniversary of his appointment to the Colorado Springs Police Department.
Richard Stanley Burchfield
Patrolman - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: May 26, 1918 Tour of Duty: 5 years, 10 months
End Of Watch: November 26, 1953
Rich Burchfield had been involved in investigating a series of armed robberies occurring in the city. On Thanksgiving night, Officer Burchfield had been checking an area of town for the robbery suspect. Officer Burchfield radioed dispatch that he would soon be enroute to Headquarters to meet with detectives. Shortly thereafter, Officer Burchfield was found lying dead in his patrol car, shot seven times. Much of what happened to Officer Burchfield remains a mystery. Because of evidence at the scene, it is believed that officer Burchfield had taken the robbery suspect into custody and was shot by the suspect while transporting him to Headquarters. No arrests were ever made in this case.
Bernard Livingston Carter
Police Helicopter Pilot - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: July 24, 1936 Tour of Duty: 10 years
End Of Watch: May 14, 1975
Berny Carter and a civilian observer had been assisting patrol officers in attempting to control a riot involving 250 junior and senior high school students. After several minutes at the scene, Officer Carter advised dispatch that the riot appeared to be subsiding and he cleared the area. A few minutes after the last transmission, Police Communication Center was advised of an aviation crash at an intersection off South Carefree Circle. Witnesses at the scene stated that the helicopter looked as if it was losing power. It would have crashed into some nearby homes. However, the pilot was able to gain some power back and literally hop over the top of the houses and then crashed into the street.
Dennis John Ives
Motor Officer - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: February 16, 1945 Tour of Duty: 6 years
End Of Watch: August 7, 1975
Denny Ives had been enroute to assist in the Pageant of the Rockies Parade. While traveling southbound on I-25, just south of Uintah Drive, Officer Ives was involved in an accident. Officer Ives' motorcycle left the right side of the roadway, coming to rest in an area hidden from view of the roadway and nearby homes. The accident was not discovered until several hours after it had occurred. When officers arrived on scene to investigate, they found that Officer Ives was dead.
Harry Lee Allen
Traffic Investigator - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: 1935 (about) Tour of Duty: 10
End Of Watch: December 22, 1975
On a cold December evening, Harry Allen had been dispatched to a single car rollover accident at the intersection of Platte Avenue and Powers Boulevard. At the time, traffic investigators' cars were not equipped with overhead light bars. The unlit intersection was dark and the officer wore a dark uniform. The victim of the accident was transported to a local hospital while Officer Allen remained on the scene to investigate. As Officer Allen was taking measurements of the accident scene, he was struck and killed by a vehicle travelling south on Powers. Officer Allen was carried on the hood of the car for at least 150 feet before he fell to the pavement. The driver was cited for careless driving and fined $25.00 for the accident.
Augustus Joseph Perreira, Jr.
Patrolman - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: May 25, 1953 Tour of Duty: 2 years
End Of Watch: April 12, 1980
While driving a Patrol vehicle, Officer Perreira was flagged down by a 7-Eleven store clerk who ran into the intersection of Delta Drive and Hancock Expressway. The clerk informed him that a man was causing a disturbance in the store at 2555 Delta Drive. Officer Perreira escorted the man outside the store. As the suspect was walking toward the door, he was heard to say that he was not going to be taken to jail. The suspect then produced a .38-caliber revolver and shot Officer Perreira five times with three of the bullets taking effect. Officer Perreira returned fire, wounding the suspect. The suspect was later tried and found not guilty by reason of insanity. He was sent to the Colorado State Hospital and remained in custody until his death in 2010.
Michael Francis Hurley
Patrolman - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: November 9, 1956 Tour of Duty: 11 months
End of Watch: March 27, 1981
While off duty, Mike Hurley had been involved in an altercation. Rather than face a serious confrontation, Officer Hurley went to a nearby house in the East Lakes area to try to get help. Officer Hurley was asking for help and requesting to use the phone. When he was refused assistance, Officer Hurley turned and went back toward the disturbance. Officer Hurley was then stabbed and died a short time later at a local hospital. The suspect was tried and convicted, and was later paroled after serving four years in prison.
Mark Layne Dabling
Patrolman - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: April 23, 1952 Tour of Duty: 6 years
End Of Watch: December 6, 1982
Officer Dabling made a traffic stop in the 300 block of West Fillmore. Unknown to Officer Dabling, the person he pulled over was a prison escapee from Florida and had committed a murder before the traffic stop. As Mark exited the patrol car and walked toward the violator's car, the violator slid to the passenger side and exited with a sawed off .44 caliber carbine. Officer Dabling turned, trying to move toward cover, was shot and fatally wounded. An out-of-state officer used Mark's radio to call for help. The suspect fled the scene and was later apprehended. The suspect is serving a life sentence at the Colorado State Penitentiary.
Jared Scott Jensen
Detective - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: February 5, 1976 Tour of Duty: 3 years
End of Watch: February 22, 2006
Detective Jared Jensen was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a parolee who was wanted for attempted murder. Detective Jensen radioed dispatch that he had spotted the suspect near the intersection of Costilla Street and Hancock Avenue and that he was going to make contact with the suspect. After approaching the suspect, Detective Jensen was shot once in the face. Detective Jensen fell to the ground and the suspect stood over him and shot at him again. Four minutes later, citizens called to report a shooting. Responding officers located Detective Jensen on the sidewalk suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds. The suspect was apprehended by FBI and ATF agents following a massive manhunt and was subsequently convicted of second-degree murder. On May 5, 2008, he was sentenced to 96 years in prison.
Kenneth Chua Jordan
DUI Enforcement Officer - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: September 12, 1974 Tour of Duty: 6 years
End of Watch: December 5, 2006
Officer Kenneth Jordan served the citizens of Colorado Springs for seven years. On February 15, 2004, Officer Jordan began working as one of eight DUI Enforcement Officers on the Colorado Springs Police Department. On December 4, 2006, Officer Jordan responded to the 4400 block of East Fountain Boulevard to assist two officers on a traffic stop of a driver suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol. When Officer Jordan contacted the suspect, the suspect produced a handgun and shot Officer Jordan four times, fatally wounded him. The other two officers returned fire and eventually, the wounded suspect was taken into custody. The suspect recovered and pled guilty to first-degree murder. He is serving a life sentence plus 167 years.
Matthew Robert Tyner
Motor Officer - Colorado Springs PD
DOB: April 28, 1970 Tour of Duty: 13 years
End of Watch: July 24, 2012
On July 24, 2012, Police Officer Matt Tyner was killed in a motorcycle accident while performing traffic enforcement on Austin Bluffs Parkway, Oro Blanco Drive and Old Farm Drive, shortly after 2:30 pm. His motorcycle collided with another vehicle, causing him to suffer fatal injuries. Officer Tyner had served with the Colorado Springs Police Department for 13 years and had previously served with the Kansas City Police Department for six years. He was assigned to the Specialized Enforcement Motorcycle Unit.