The 84th anniversary of the murder of Arcadia Police Officer Albert Matthies was remembered in a ceremony held at noon Monday July 18, 2011. Officer Matthies was killed in the line of duty on July 19, 1927 when he approached a vehicle on Northview now also renamed after officer Matthies. Officer Matthies is the only Arcadia Police Officer to be killed in the line of duty.
The murder of Officer Matthies is memorialized at the following locations:
” Plaque memorial at Foothill Blvd/Northview Ave, Arcadia
” Los Angeles County Peace Officers Memorial, Whittier
” California Peace Officers Memorial, Sacramento
” National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, Washington DC
” The only Arcadia Police Officer to be killed in the line of duty is Albert E. Matthies. Officer Matthies was shot while detaining three young men near the intersection of Northview and Foothill in north Arcadia on July 18, 1927, shortly before midnight. Officer Matthies came upon the men inside a vehicle parked on Northview. The men were preparing to conduct a robbery at a business nearby. The rear seat passenger was Frank Miller. Miller pulled out a .45 cal handgun and shot at Matthies, striking him in the neck. Matthies died from the gunshot wound. Matthies died at 12:07 AM on July 19, 1927.
” Leo Bertolina, a friend of Matthies, was riding along that night in the police car. Bertolina was able to scramble away after being shot at and hit with flying glass from windows being struck by gunfire. Bertolina telephoned for additional police assistance. The trio of suspects got away that night but were later apprehended in Los Angeles within days. The three suspects were later convicted of the murder of Officer Matthies and sentenced to prison. The shooter died in prison. The two accomplices were later paroled and died shortly after release.