Los Angeles Police Department, California
End of Watch: Monday, April 6, 1959
Age: 40
Tour of Duty: 12 years
Badge Number: 3860
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: April 6, 1959
Weapon Used: Gun; Unknown type
Suspect Info: Killed by other officers
Policeman Charles Bogardus was shot and killed by a robbery suspect. He and his partner had spotted an armed robbery in-progress at a supermarket at Washington and Hoover. The two suspects spotted the officers and ran upstairs into an office. The officers entered the store and took cover. Policeman Bogardus yelled, 'cover me,' and ran up the stairs toward the office. When he reached the top of the stairs, he kicked in the door and entered the office. A scuffle ensued in the office. Then Policeman Bogardus ran out, without his gun, and headed back down the stairs. One of the suspects stood in the doorway and shot Policeman Bogardus as he ran down the stairs. Even though the hold-up men were armed with their own guns, they had taken the officer's. Responding officers killed both the suspects in the shootout that followed.
Policeman Bogardus was a U.S Navy veteran of WWII and had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 12 years.