Police Officer Harold Erwin Warnecke, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Missouri

Police Officer Harold Erwin Warnecke

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Missouri

End of Watch Friday, December 15, 1972

Harold Erwin Warnecke

Officer Warnecke was shot and killed by two robbery suspects outside of a Kroger grocery store on North Grand Avenue. The two men had just robbed the store of $1,000 and were fleeing at approximately 8 a.m. when Officer Warnecke pulled up to the store to do a business check, not knowing a robbery had just been committed. As he was getting out of his patrol car the store manager pointed to the suspects and Officer Warnecke called out to them. One of the men approached Officer Warnecke and second man circled around and shot him in the back three times. Before fleeing, the suspects stole Officer Warnecke's watch, wallet, and revolver. Both men were apprehended a short time later.

Officer Warnecke was a WWII US Navy veteran and was the sole survivor of a US Navy gun crew on a Merchant Maine ship that was hit by a shell. Officer Warnecke had been with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for 27 years. He was survived by his wife and two children.

Bio

Age 60
Tour 27 years
Badge Not available
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Gunfire
Weapon Handgun
Offender Apprehended

robbery

Most Recent Reflection

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I met Harold when I was working at the Kroger Store at 4312 North Grand. I worked there from about 1964 through 1971. The store manager talked me into chasing shop lifting suspects and it was more fun than stocking groceries. Harold Warnke was the Officer who drove the cruiser in that Police District at the time. He was rounding out he years in his police career. I met him a dozen or so times and one day he said he thought I should apply to be an officer. I was fresh out of college with no job and it sounded like a great idea. I was in the police academy when they interrupted the class to announce that an Officer had been shot and killed. The officer was Harold Warnke and he was killed by hold up men at the same Kroger Store at 4312 North Grand. I will never forget him even though barely knew him. Remember him for his service and respect his memory.

Sgt. Retired since 2005
SLMP

September 4, 2015