Sacramento Police and Sheriff's Memorial Foundation

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Sacramento Police and Sheriff's Memorial Foundation

The Foundation seeks to pay tribute to fallen Sacramento Police Officers and Sheriffs Deputies and honor their families. Charity ID # 68-0267352

09/17/2026

💙Never Forgotten 💙

Shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Monday, September 17, 2018, Deputy Mark Stasyuk and his partner were patrolling as police officers in the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office contract city of Rancho Cordova. They were dispatched to a reported disturbance at a local business. The initial call for service gave no indication that the suspect was armed or dangerous. Immediately upon their arrival at the business, the suspect began shooting at both deputies, who returned fire. During the gun battle, both deputies were wounded by the suspect. Deputy Stasyuk was provided emergency medical treatment on scene and was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The second deputy was treated for a gunshot wound and released from the hospital.

After shooting the deputies, the suspect fled from the initial scene on foot and again, engaged other responding deputies in a gunfight. During the incident, the suspect sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Shortly after fleeing, the suspect was taken into custody and transported to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries.
Deputy Stasyuk was 27 years old and had been employed with the Sheriff’s Office for four and a half years. Deputy Stasyuk’s sacrifice in the service of his community will never be forgotten.💙🕊

08/30/2026

💙Never Forgotten💙

On August 30, 2017, Deputy Robert French was patrolling the North area of Sacramento County when he responded to a shots fired call at a local area hotel. The suspect had initiated a gun battle inside of the hotel, and had continued firing as he exited the motel and entered the parking lot. Deputy French took position in the hotel parking lot, using his vehicle for cover, where he acquired the suspect and engaged him in gunfire. As the suspect attempted to flee, he began shooting at Deputy French. One of the suspect’s bullets passed through a portion of Deputy French’s patrol car and struck him. The bullet entered through the top of his shoulder, missing his body armor and passing through his heart, mortally wounding him.

Despite being mortally wounded, Deputy French emerged from behind cover and continued to engage the suspect. Despite life-saving measures taken by emergency personnel, Deputy French succumbed to his injuries.

Deputy French was 52 years old and a 21-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Department. Deputy French’s sacrifice in the service of his community will never be forgotten.💙🕊

08/29/2026

💙Never Forgotten 💙

On August 27, 1893, at approximately 11:50 p.m., Special Police Officer Charles Wetzel was patrolling K Street, between 5th and 6th Streets, when a disturbance ensued.

Joseph Barrett (aka George Clark) was boarding at the Albion House where he was disturbed by a man singing loudly in the street. A confrontation between Barrett and the singer escalated, until finally Barrett retrieved a pistol from a nearby saloon and pistol-whipped the singer. Officer Wetzel witnessed the assault. He confronted Barrett and attempted to detain him. Barrett responded by shooting Officer Wetzel in the abdomen.

On August 29, 1893, Officer Wetzel succumbed to his injuries. The suspect, Joseph Barrett, escaped with the help of a few associates and was never located. Officer Wetzel was 28 years old. Officer Wetzel’s sacrifice in service of his community will never be forgotten.💙🕊

08/26/2026

💙Never Forgotten 💙

On August 22, 2021, Galt Police Officer Harminder Grewal and his partner were on their way to assist with the Caldor Fire in El Dorado County. On Highway 99, just north of Dillard Road, a Dodge Ram pickup truck, traveling southbound, hit the center median, broke through a barrier and collided with the officers’ patrol vehicle head-on. Both officers had to be extricated from the vehicle and were transported to the hospital in critical condition. The pickup driver was pronounced deceased at the scene by fire personnel.

Tragically, Officer Grewal’s injuries were not survivable and he passed away on Thursday, August 26, 2021.

Officer Grewal was 27 years old and served with the Galt Police Department for two and a half years. Officer Grewal’s sacrifice in the service of his community will never be forgotten. 💙🕊

08/15/2026

Joseph McKinney was the first elected Sheriff in Sacramento County government and the first peace officer slain in the line of duty in Sacramento County.

Sheriff McKinney, a young man in his early 20's, lived in the gold rush fever days of the early west — an era burdened with a myriad of law and order problems. An epidemic known as "squatters’ riots" developed throughout the west and Sacramento was no exception. During the summer of 1850, several confrontations took place between Sacramento government officials and squatters, with heavy casualties on both sides.

Following the funeral of a slain City Assessor, Sheriff McKinney rounded up twenty deputies and rode to Brighton, a settlement several miles outside of Sacramento, where squatters had barricaded themselves in a house. As the Sheriff and his deputies entered the house, the Sheriff ordered the armed squatters to lay down their weapons. A volley of gunfire erupted, killing the young Sheriff, who stood in the foreground of the confrontation. Sheriff McKinney’s sacrifice in service of his community will never be forgotten.

08/11/2026

💙Never Forgotten 💙

On August 11, 1935, Chief Erskin Fish was shot to death in an almost western-style shoot-out. As he responded to a burglary call, a hail of bullets rained down as he encountered the two suspects fleeing from a bush.
It was a customary practice for the Chief to respond to calls alone and summon backup as needed.

Erskin Fish was 47 years old and had been the Chief of the North Sacramento Police Department for seven years at the time of his death. North Sacramento Police Department later merged with the Sacramento Police Department. Chief Fish’s sacrifice in service of his community will never be forgotten. 💙🕊

08/03/2026

💙Never Forgotten 💙

On August 3, 1974, Sacramento Police Detective Doyle Popovich was shot and killed at point-blank range with his own revolver. During the arrest of a suspected auto thief, the thief struggled with Detective Popovich and his partner. As the suspect was being handcuffed, he pulled Detective Popovich’s gun from its holster and fired, hitting the officer in the stomach. The suspect fled from the crime scene. After committing another crime, ironically at the home of another officer, the suspect was cornered, but escaped again. The suspect was recaptured after being reported to police by community members.

Detective Popovich was 37 years old and had served the Sacramento Police Department for nine years. Detective Popovich’s sacrifice in the service of his community will never be forgotten. 💙🕊

08/02/2026

💙Never Forgotten 💙

On August 1, 1981, District Attorney Investigator Grant Wilson was killed while serving a misdemeanor warrant on a man for failing to pay child support.
On the morning of the incident, Investigator Wilson and his partner arrived at a home on Varsity Court in North Highlands to serve the warrant on Jack Webster, who rented a room in the home. After being admitted by the homeowner and announcing their presence, Webster refused to open his bedroom door. The investigators forced entry into the bedroom, and Webster immediately opened fire, shooting both investigators multiple times. Investigator Wilson returned fire, killing Webster.

The wounded investigators retreated to an adjacent home where Investigator Wilson collapsed from his injuries. Investigator Wilson was hit three times; the fatal bullet striking him in the chest. He was later pronounced dead at the scene. His partner was taken to the hospital, critically injured.

Investigator Wilson was 32 years old. He had been with the District Attorney’s Office for two years and had previously served at the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department as a Deputy for six years. He was a graduate of California State University at Sacramento and lived in Sacramento with his wife and two children. Investigator Grant Wilson’s sacrifice in the service of his community will never be forgotten. 💙🕊

07/23/2026

💙Never Forgotten 💙

On July 23, 1963, Officer Eugene McKnight, a 16-year veteran of the Sacramento Police Department, lost his life. While off-duty, he and his wife were shopping for supplies for a trip to their cabin. As they approached the check stand, Officer McKnight noticed a robbery in progress.

Leaving his wife in the store, the armed officer moved carefully and followed the lone suspect outside. As Officer McKnight approached the suspect at his getaway car, the suspect’s partner suddenly grabbed Officer McKnight from behind. A cocked gun was pushed against the officer’s neck, jerking him. The gun went off and a bullet penetrated Officer McKnight’s neck, killing him instantly. Officer McKnight was 38 years old. Officer McKnight’s sacrifice in the service of his community will never be forgotten.

06/30/2026

💙Never Forgotten 💙

Sacramento Police Officer Frank Mello severed his leg when his motorcycle collided with a State Police car as he responded to a box alarm at 7th and H Streets. Officer Mello was treated at the scene by a doctor who happened to be a witness.

Officer Mello appeared to be recovering well from his injury and was released from the hospital. Approximately two months after his release, he became jaundiced and succumbed to his injuries on June 30, 1951.

Officer Mello was 23 years old and had served the Police Department for two years. Officer Mello’s sacrifice in the service of his community will never be forgotten. 💙🕊

Address

Sacramento, CA

Telephone

+19164467661

Website

http://www.sacmemorial.org/

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