Polk County Sheriff's Office, Florida
End of Watch: Tuesday, April 9, 1963
Age: 51
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 9, 1963
Weapon Used: Handgun; .22 caliber
Suspect Info: Sentenced to life
Deputy Leon Bernard was shot and killed while following two armed robbery suspects.
Deputy Bernard was an off-duty jailer when he observed the robbery of a Bartow Finance Company and began following the vehicle. The vehicle stopped near Lake Garfield, and the passenger confronted Deputy Bernard and shot him.
The suspects, a man and his wife, both 37, and parents of six children, were arrested an hour later and charged with murder. The man was convicted of murder and sentenced to life.
Deputy Bernard was a Canadian military veteran. He is survived by his wife, son, twin granddaughters, seven brothers, and six sisters.