Baltimore City Police Department, Maryland
End of Watch: Saturday, September 22, 1973
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 13 years
Badge Number: 1869
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: September 22, 1973
Weapon Used: Handgun; Pistol
Suspect Info: Charged with murder
Police Officer Calvin Rodwell was shot and killed by an armed suspect near the intersection of Aisquith Street and Fayette Street.
He was working a part-time job as a cab driver when his fare suddenly produced a pistol, ordered him from the cab, and stole it along with his cash bag. Minutes later Officer Rodwell stopped another cab for help. Unbeknownst to him, the man who committed the robbery was in the back seat returning the borrowed gun to the other cab driver. When the cab stopped the man shot him. The subject was arrested and charged with murder. The cab driver who lent him the gun was also charged with murder.
Officer Rodwell was participating in a program the Baltimore City Police Department created to allow off duty officers to work as cab drivers in an attempt to prevent robberies of cabbies.
Officer Rodwell had served with the Baltimore City Police Department for 13 years.