Fayetteville Police Department, Arkansas
End of Watch: Wednesday, October 16, 1968
Age: 61
Tour of Duty: 30 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Heart attack
Date of Incident: October 16, 1968
Weapon Used: Person
Suspect Info: Not available
Assistant Chief of Police Elmo Ritchie suffered a fatal heart attack while attempting to place a 13-year-old mental subject in protective custody.
He collapsed after the subject began to resist arrest.
Assistant Chief Ritchie had served with the Fayetteville Police Department for 19 years and had served in law enforcement for a total of 30 years. He had previously served with the Washington County Sheriff's Office and as the sheriff of Madison County. He was survived by his wife, three children, five grandchildren, and fiving siblings.