April 17th of this year marked 39 years since the tragic passing of Officer Thomas Joseph Keller, a Torrance Police Officer killed in the line of duty.
After his death, a memorial park was erected in Downtown Torrance to honor Officer Keller and other Torrance Officers killed on the job, and has since been a tranquil spot on the corner of Cabrillo and Sartori.
But just this Monday, May 13th, the park was bustling with current and former TPD Officers as a new sign was mounted across the street to honor Officer Keller.
The new installation comes with the city’s celebration of Blue Ribbon Week, where other officers will continue to be honored leading up to the Armed Forces Day Parade on May 17th.
Officer Keller was killed in 1986 responding to an armed robbery call at a sporting goods store. The suspect had armed himself with the storekeeper’s rifle and fled the store as Keller and other responding officers arrived, shooting at officers from inside.
A shot then hit Officer Keller, causing him to step out of his cover, where a second round killed him after striking him in the heart. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officer Keller was a Marine Corps veteran who served as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff and Explorer Scout with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, survived by his parents, two sisters, and brothers at the time.
Officer Keller is one of four Torrance Police Officers to have been killed in the line of duty, the others being Detective Gary Rippstein, Officer David Seibert, and Sergeant William Lewis.
All four of them are honored by a plaque at Thomas Keller Memorial Park, and represented by the four trees planted in front of the Torrance Police Department.
May 15th, 2025 is recognized as California Peace Officers Memorial Day, a day to, according to a bill signed by Torrance Mayor George Chen, “encourage all community members to remember those individuals who gave their lives for our safety and express appreciation to those who continue their important work of making the City of Torrance a safer place to live.”
