Memorial to Ernest C. Ricks

End of Watch: May 17, 1989
Rank: Officer Badge No. 2479
Age: 32  Years of Service: 6 months
Location of Death: Metropolitan Police Academy
Duty Assignment: Training Academy  

Circumstance:

Officer Ricks suffered a fatal heart attack while performing a physical fitness test at the police academy. He was transported to the hospital and passed away the following day. He was scheduled to graduate from the Academy on the day of his death. He was a member of Recruit Class 88-3.

Biography:

Officer Ricks was a US Army veteran and had only served with the Metropolitan Police Department for six months. He was survived by his wife and daughter.

Articles from the Washington Post – transcribed by Dave Richardson, MPD/Ret.
OFFICER ERNEST C. RICKS III
WASHINGTON POST ARTICLE DATED MAY 18, 1989, PAGE D8
D.C. POLICE RECRUIT DIES
A 32-year-old D.C. police recruit collapsed and died Tuesday night, several hours after collapsing upon completing the running portion of a physical training test, police said yesterday.

Ernest C. Ricks was pronounced dead about 7:20 p.m. at Hadley Memorial Hospital. He collapsed at the nearby police training academy, at 4665 Blue Plains Drive S.W., just before noon, police said. A witness who asked not to be identified said Ricks had just completed a 1 ½ mile run when he collapsed at the finish line.

Several recruits helped him up, but he collapsed four more times before being carried inside a nearby building. Ricks was described as “hefty,” but not out of shape.

An autopsy was ordered, police said. Ricks was scheduled to graduate from the academy the day of his death.