The Officer Down Memorial Page Remembers . . .
 
Photograph: Trooper Werner Foerster

Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New Jersey






Trooper Werner Foerster
New Jersey State Police
New Jersey

End of Watch: Wednesday, May 2, 1973

Biographical Info
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 3 years
Badge Number: 2608

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Wednesday, May 2, 1973
Weapon Used: Officer's handgun
Suspect Info: At large

Trooper Foerster was shot and killed with his own weapon after stopping a female on the New Jersey Turnpike. His partner was wounded in the shootout. The two suspects were members of the Black Liberation Army. Both suspects were convicted of Trooper Foerster's murder, but the female suspect escaped from prison with outside help and fled to Cuba where she has remained at large.

Trooper Foerster had been a member of the New Jersey State Police Department for almost 3 years.

The Route 18 overpass on the New Jersey Turnpike was dedicated the Werner Foerster Overpass in his honor.

The Black Liberation Army was a violent, radical group that attempted to fight for independence from the United States government in the late 1960's and early 1970's. The BLA was responsible for the murders of more than 10 police officers around the country. They were also responsible for violent attacks around the country that left many police officers wounded.

Related Line of Duty Deaths
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyPolice Officer Harold Hamilton
San Francisco Police Department, CA
EOW: Monday, October 19, 1970
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyPatrolman Waverly M. Jones
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: Friday, May 21, 1971
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyPatrolman Joseph A. Piagentini
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: Friday, May 21, 1971
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyOfficer Billy Michael Kaylor
Atlanta Police Department, GA
EOW: Monday, August 23, 1971
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseySergeant John Victor Young
San Francisco Police Department, CA
EOW: Sunday, August 29, 1971
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyOfficer James Richard Greene
Atlanta Police Department, GA
EOW: Wednesday, November 3, 1971
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyPolice Officer Gregory P. Foster
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: Thursday, January 27, 1972
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyPolice Officer Rocco W. Laurie
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: Thursday, January 27, 1972
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyPolice Officer Sidney L. Thompson
New York City Transit Police Department, NY
EOW: Tuesday, June 5, 1973
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyPolice Officer John G. Scarangella
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: Friday, May 1, 1981
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseyPolice Officer Waverly L. Brown
Nyack Police Department, NY
EOW: Tuesday, October 20, 1981
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Patch image: New Jersey State Police, New JerseySergeant Edward J. O'Grady Jr.
Nyack Police Department, NY
EOW: Tuesday, October 20, 1981
Cause of Death: Gunfire

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