Officer Richard F. Giguere, Metropolitan Police Department, District of Columbia

Officer Richard F. Giguere

Metropolitan Police Department, District of Columbia

End of Watch Wednesday, June 6, 1979

Richard F. Giguere

Officer Richard Giguere and Officer Alfred Jackson were killed when the police helicopter they were in crashed while returning from a false burglary-in-progress call.

Shortly before 2 p.m., the helicopter that carried both officers developed engine trouble. Officer Jackson attempted to "auto-rotate" the craft to perform a less-harmful landing. This technique failed and the helicopter crashed on the 700 block of Yuma street in southeast Washington, causing the fuel inside the gas tanks to ignite and setting the wreckage aflame.

Bystanders tried to pull the officers from the flames, but could only succeed in grabbing one of the two. Officer Giguere was the first member of the helicopter branch to lose his life in the line of duty, dying before the ambulance made it to the hospital. Officer Jackson died later that same day in the hospital. No civilians were injured.

Officer Giguere served with the Metropolitan Police Department for nine years. He had also served with the U.S. Air Force as a security police officer.

He was survived by his wife and three children.

Bio

Age 38
Tour 9 years
Badge Not available
Military Veteran

Incident Details

Cause Aircraft accident

burglary

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Most Recent Reflection

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Because I cannot say these things to you now or ever, I will give my thanks to you here, and hopefully others will see it and appreciate what you have done. Officer Giguere, thank you. Thank you for being the devoted man you were, thank you for being such a loving and caring family man, thank you for leading by example, thank you for inspiring me to Back the Blue, thank you for giving me the insight that others in this day in age do not have, and thank you for your service and sacrifice to people all over the United States of America. Oneday, I hope to inspire people and do good in this world just as you have. I love you and miss you very much, we all do.
Blue Lives Matter

Ryan Giguere,
Grandson of fallen officer Richard F. Giguere of the Metropolitan Police Department Helicopter Branch

May 30, 2018