Corrections Officer James Walter Harbin II joined the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on February 7, 1979.

On March 18, 1979, only 6½ weeks after he was hired, he was shot and killed in a convenience store robbery. Officer Harbin had stopped at the store en route to work. The store clerk tried to warn him of the robbery in progress. Due to the fact that he was in a uniform almost identical to a police officer, he was mistaken for a police officer and shot. The suspect was later apprehended after holding police at bay for several hours.

Officer Harbin died at the age of 22 and was survived by his parents.

Officer James Richard Rogan joined the Clark County Sheriff’s Office in 1970 and served the Department for approximately eight years.

On February 22, 1978, Officer Rogan made a routine traffic stop.  During the stop, the driver shot Officer Rogan multiple times with an automatic handgun, killing him.  The suspect was killed by police the following morning after an all-night, house-to-house search.

Officer Rogan died at the age of 41, leaving behind his wife and six children ranging in ages from 2 to 18 years.

Sergeant Paul DeWeert joined the Las Vegas Police Department in January of 1948.

On October 8, 1967, Officer DeWeert was involved in an off duty altercation that led to his shooting death. Though technically off duty he had apparently decided to take enforcement action against the suspect, who, by his own admission, said that Sergeant DeWeert had told him to stop so he could talk to him.

Sergeant DeWeert died at the age of 60, just five months short of retirement. He was survived by his wife and two teenage sons.

Officer Fortye joined the Las Vegas Police Department on October 10, 1961, and served the department for five years and 18 days.

While working K-9 with his dog, Burgie, on October 28, 1966, Fortye made a routine stop on a northbound vehicle on Highland Drive. The assailant pulled Officer Fortye’s revolver from his holster and shot him three times. His partner, Burgie, attacked the assailant, ripped his clothing and mauled his hand. The assailant was captured a short time later. Burgie was found sitting next to Patrolman Fortye when backup officers arrived.

Officer Fortye was 32 years old when he died, and was survived by his wife and 6-year-old daughter.

Deputy Sheriff George Hart was appointed to the Clark County Sheriff’s Department on July 5, 1956.

On October 25, 1957, Deputy Sheriff Hart arrested a drunken man. While booking the prisoner, he was struck in the stomach. Due to complications resulting from the blow, Hart succumbed to the injury on November 12.

Deputy Hart was 40 years old when he died, and was survived by his wife and five children.

Officer McGee joined the Las Vegas Police Department on June 22, 1954, and served the Department for 17 months.

On November 11, 1955, Officer McGee was investigating an early morning burglary in which $300 in coins were taken. Unbeknownst to the victim of the burglary, two pistols were also stolen, as well as a pellet gun and a 22-caliber revolver. Later in the day, Officer McGee received a call that the suspect was at a local downtown motel. When Officer McGee arrived at the hotel, he heard the desk clerk talking to the suspect in a loud voice. The suspect surrendered the pellet gun but as the officer was handcuffing him, he pulled the second gun from his waistband and shot Officer McGee four times. As Officer McGee lay mortally wounded, the suspect took the officer’s revolver and fled out the back door of the hotel. When he was captured a short time later, he was still carrying the slain officer’s revolver.

Officer McGee was 33 when he died and was survived by his wife.

Sgt. Dula joined the Las Vegas Police Department on June 16, 1952. He was promoted to Sergeant on January 16, 1954. He served the department for approximately three years.

While working out of the Traffic Division he and his partner responded to a call to aid a citizen who had been beaten at Las Vegas Boulevard South and Fremont. At 12th and Fremont Sgt. Dula’s motorcycle was struck by two juveniles. The two teenagers who struck Sgt. Dula’s motorcycle were the same two suspects who had beaten up the citizen and were fleeing from the incident.

The incident occurred 10 minutes before the end of his tour of duty on April 8, 1955. He died at age 26 and was survived by his wife and two small children.

Deputy Sheriff Winnie Austin Hansen was a member of the Clark County Sheriff’s Department. He was born October 3, 1893.

On December 26, 1950, Deputy Sheriff Hansen along with his partner Deputy Sheriff William Wolf, were proceeding east on Boulder Highway when they observed a vehicle that seemed out of control. A vehicle stop was made in the safety zone in front of the Green Shack Restaurant, located on Boulder Highway, 500 feet from Charleston Boulevard East.

Both deputies exited their vehicle along with the driver of the stopped vehicle. It was found that the driver’s vehicle was disabled due to a leak in the brake line. Deputy Sheriff Hansen was standing to the rear of the vehicle, the citizen and Deputy Sheriff Wolf were standing by the passenger door. Deputy Sheriff observed a vehicle coming into the safety zone in their direction, and immediately pulled the citizen and himself out of the way of the on-coming vehicle, which struck the door of the vehicle they had stopped, striking Deputy Sheriff Hansen.

Deputy Sheriff Hansen was transported to the County Hospital where he died from his injuries. The driver of the striking vehicle was arrested and convicted of vehicular manslaughter.

Officer May joined the Las Vegas Police Department in the early 1930’s and was the first Las Vegas police officer to give his life in the line of duty.

On June 8, 1933, he was assigned to investigate a disturbance at a motel on South Fifth Street. It was later learned the motel proprietor had been drinking heavily during the day and had made statements he would kill the first officer to stop there. As Officer May was getting out of his vehicle he was shot by the proprietor. Although Officer May was critically wounded he still shot and wounded his assailant. Both the officer and the suspect died before help could reach them.

He died at the age of 38 and was survived by his wife and seven children, ranging from 6 weeks to 15 years of age.