National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial

Officer Rank: Patrolman

Memorial Panel: 51-W: 16

Department: Cleveland Heights, Ohio, P.D.

End of Watch: February 21, 1948

Cause: SHOT

Age: 30

Years of Service: 3

Description: Officer Reker and his partner Officer Myer were called to investigate a robbery in progress. Arriving at the scene they were told the situation by the neighbor and so both officers entered with their guns drawn. Upon reaching the second story of the house, the thief jumped out and shot Officer Reker in the abdomen. As Officer Reker fell, he fried six shots at the man, and Myer fired three. Officer Reker collapsed and died 16 minutes later in the ambulance en route to the hospital. The robber died later in the hospital's prison ward.