Fallen Bay Area Officer’s Death Honored On Anniversary Of Shooting: Police

SAN MATEO, CA — The San Mateo Police Department will honor a police officer Friday who died 57 years ago with the memorial ceremony after the discovery of a previously unrecognized fallen officer, police said.

At 5 p.m. on Friday, the SMPD will remember Sergeant Gordon Joinville with a memorial at Joinville Park.

Joinville died 57 years ago on May 23, 1968 after he was shot twice at point-black range while conducting a traffic stop near the intersection of 5th Avenue and S. Claremont Street during the investigation of an LSD manufacturing case, police said.

Joinville later died of his injuries while at Mills Hospital. He was 34 at the time of his death and left behind a wife and two children ages 3 and 4 at the time, police said.

There is a blue light pole installed at the location of the 1968 shooting that shines 24/7 in honor of his death, police said.

Last week was National Police Week and several SMPD officers traveled to Washington D.C to not only honor Joinville’s death but to hear Special Reserve Officer Steven Clark’s name be read during the Roll Call of Heroes at the Annual Candlelight Vigil. His name was added to the Memorial Wall at the National Law Enforcement Memorial, police said.

The SMPD stated it learned of Clark’s death five years ago. Clark was killed while working a stock car race on August 19, 1956 at the former Bay Area Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo. Clark attempted to provide aid and protect citizens, who had rushed onto the track after an on-course accident, when he was struck and killed by another car.

The SMPD believed they only had one officer die in the line of duty for decades until learning of Clark’s death.

“Sadly, and for reasons still unknown, our agency was unaware of his death for many years. But, as soon as we learned of it, we took steps to honor his memory, just as we have Sgt. Joinville and correct this oversight,” a SMPD press release stated.