Patrol Officer Benjamin Franklin Strong
Anchorage Police Department
Alaska
End of Watch: Thursday, January 4, 1968

Biographical Info
Age: 29
Tour of Duty: 1 year
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Thursday, January 4, 1968
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Both sentenced to 99 years

Officer Strong was shot and killed during a stakeout of a liquor store following a rash of holiday robberies. He was scheduled to be off-duty but had volunteered for the assignment. While in a storage room two suspects entered the store and one detained the clerk while the other started going through the register. Officer Strong made his presence known and a struggle ensued, at which point Officer Strong's shotgun was kicked from his hands. Both suspects were shot and wounded and Officer Strong was shot in the chest. The suspects were captured and sentenced to 99 years in prison.
Officer Strong had been with the agency for one year and was survived by his expectant wife and 2-year-old daughter.