2004 12 4 Foster Melissa M.      
Officer  Melissa M. Foster   

Entered Division of Police
November 19, 1997
Died In the Line of Duty
December 4, 2004

On December 4, 2004 at approximately 1:00 a.m., Officer Melissa M. Foster was southbound on Gender Rd. responding with another unit on a report of a prowler at Schirm Farms Apartments.  The driver of a vehicle heading northbound swerved left of center, forcing the first cruiser to swerve to the right to avoid a collision.  Officer Foster, who was following behind the other cruiser, did not see the oncoming vehicle fast enough to take evasive action and the suspect’s vehicle collided into the front of her cruiser at a high rate of speed.

Officer Foster suffered numerous life-threatening injuries and was life-flighted to Grant Hospital where she was pronounced a short time later.

Officer Melissa Foster was a 7 year veteran of the force and the 51st officer to die in the line of duty.  She is survived by her two young children.