Middletown Police Officer Killed In 1982 Named To Wall Of Honor

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — A Middletown police special officer who was killed by a drunk driver in 1982 is now memorialized in a new wall outside the headquarters of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office in Freehold.

The wall, unveiled Wednesday in a ceremony attended by Gov. Murphy's wife and the state Attorney General, lists the names of all 22 law enforcement officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in Monmouth County, going as far back as 1899.

The Middletown officer is Special Officer Ronald Kleber, who was struck and killed by a drunk driver while directing traffic in Middletown. You can see a photo of him here: https://www.odmp.org/officer/7...

Kleber was killed on October 23, 1982. He was 37 years old and had been with the Middletown police force for 15 years. He left behind a wife and two children, a son and a daughter.

The 26-year-old driver was immediately arrested and charged with death by auto, DWI and other offenses, but only convicted of drunk driving. He was fined $250 and lost his license for six months, according to the Officer Down memorial site.

The designation of a special police officer in New Jersey means the officers is not allowed to carry a gun, but performs all the other duties of a police officer, and can make arrests.

The Law Enforcement Memorial is a lasting reminder of the sacrifices made for public safety, said Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni at the ceremony Wednesday.

(As a side note, Gramiccioni will be resigning this June, as his term was not renewed by Gov. Phil Murphy. He was the top law enforcement officer for Monmouth County for the past decade and was appointed by then-Gov. Christie.)

“These 22 officers who died never asked for, or wanted to be heroes, but sometimes as fate has it, it just turns out that way. These 22 fallen officers had wives and husbands, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, and children young and old,” said Gramiccioni. “They shared a commitment to something larger than themselves — a call to serve the greater good. None sought glory, riches, or their names on billboards or in lights. Their reward came from their pride in service.”

The memorial is made of two tiers of black granite and includes a fountain of water that creates a soothing waterfall. Next to each officer who died is a sketching of the shoulder patch representing every law enforcement agency in Monmouth County.

The 22 police officers on the wall are:

Constable James Walsh, Red Bank Police Department, was attempting an arrest when he was shot by a suspect. EOW: November 13, 1899.

Patrolman Charles Franklin Lippincott, Asbury Park Police Department, and another officer were directed to handle a report of a husband threatening to kill his wife. Upon arrival, Officer Lippincott ordered him to halt. The accused appeared willing to surrender. When Officer Lippincott placed his hand on the suspect's shoulder, the suspect pulled a concealed weapon and fatally shot the officer in the chest. EOW: December 10, 1911.

Patrolman Herman Kohler Emmons, Long Branch Police Department, was shot and killed by a suspect while attempting to place the suspect under arrest. EOW: December 17, 1921.

Trooper William H. Marshall, New Jersey State Police, was killed in a motorcycle accident while on patrol. He had been with the agency for just over two years. EOW: December 12, 1923.

Trooper Herman Gloor, Jr., New Jersey State Police, was killed in a motorcycle accident while on patrol. He had been with the agency for just over two years. EOW: May 9, 1926.

Patrolman Robert Leroy Applegate, Neptune Township Police Department, was killed when his police motorcycle was struck by a drunk driver. He was responding to another accident when the incident occurred. EOW: September 6, 1931.

Police Officer William H. Letts, of the Union Beach Police Department, was shot in the head, while off duty and in his home, by the man he was investigating as the prime suspect in an armed robbery. EOW: September 24, 1946.

Trooper John Anderson, New Jersey State Police, was shot and killed while investigating a stolen car on the Garden State Parkway. EOW: November 1, 1955.

Trooper Finley C. Fuchs, New Jersey State Police, was killed in an automobile accident while in route to a court appointment. EOW: December 19, 1957.

Trooper Raymond P. Fiola, New Jersey State Police, was killed in an automobile accident while he was on patrol. The collision occurred on Route 526 in Monmouth County. EOW: February 19, 1962.

Sergeant Charles M. Cozzens, Bradley Beach Police Department, was killed in an automobile accident when his patrol car struck a utility pole on Main Street. EOW: August 8, 1964.

Patrolman William A. Richards, Long Branch Police Department, suffered a fatal heart attack while attempting to subdue a suspect who had escaped from other officers earlier in the day. EOW: October 23, 1967.

Sergeant Joseph M. Monteparo, Asbury Park Police Department, was stabbed to death while attempting to talk a man into dropping a knife. Sergeant Monteparo was familiar with the suspect and had dealt with him on several occasions. EOW: April 24, 1971.

David John Lake, Chief of Police, Ocean Grove Police Department, had a heart attack while pursuing and grappling with a larceny suspect. He later died from the physical stress. EOW: August 23, 1971.

Sergeant Frank Peters, Keansburg Police Department, was killed as the result of an accidental gunshot wound while on duty. EOW: February 11, 1972.

Patrolman Jack A. Wright, Bradley Beach Police Department, was shot and killed as he attempted to stop a hold-up and robbery. EOW: May 31, 1976.

Special Officer Ronald P. Kleber, Middletown Police Department, was struck and killed by a drunk driver while directing traffic. EOW: October 23, 1982.

Trooper II Frances J. Bellaran, New Jersey State Police died from injuries sustained in an automobile accident on May 20, 1996. He was attempting to stop a speeding motorcycle when he crashed and sustained fatal injuries. EOW: May 23, 1996.

Detective Sgt. Patrick A. King, Long Branch Police Department, was on duty, in uniform when a man shot him in the back of the head while standing at a counter ordering his meal. The suspect then stole Sergeant King's car and led police on 60-mile chase before crashing the police vehicle and being killed in a shootout. EOW: November 20, 1997.

Trooper Marc Kenneth Castellano, New Jersey State Police, was struck by an out-of-control car as he was standing on the shoulder of the road near his patrol vehicle.

Trooper Castellano was transported to the hospital where he died. EOW: June 6, 2010.

Trooper Anthony A. Raspa, New Jersey State Police, was killed in a vehicle crash on I-195 in Monmouth County. EOW: May 30, 2015.

Detective April Bird, Asbury Park Police Department, was on duty when she suffered a heart attack during a shooting investigation. She died three days later. EOW: August 2,2019.

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