Officer Leo Robert "Bobby" Volk

Leo “Bobby” Volk was born May 8, 1949 in the Los Angeles area to Leo Volk, Sr. and Oma Juanita (Richey) Volk. The family moved to Ceres where he grew up and Bobby was a graduate of Ceres High School and Modesto Junior College.

Bobby met the beautiful Miss Janet Ruth Hopper and on April 19, 1969 they were married in Stanislaus County. They were blessed with the birth of their son, Scott, on August 21, 1970.

Bobby joined the Police Department on September 10, 1970 at the age of 21 and he was assigned to the Patrol Division.

At approximately 1:00 am on the morning of May 21, 1973, a call was received at the Police Department of a single car crash involving an MPD unit on Yosemite Blvd near Conejo Avenue. Officers and rescue personnel responded to the scene and it took 40 minutes to extricate Bobby from the wreckage of his patrol car.

CHP investigated the crash and it was subsequently determined that Bobby was on North Conejo Avenue and he turned east on Yosemite. A vehicle which had been behind Bobby on Conejo turned west on Yosemite. Bobby made a U-turn, activated his red lights and sped after the westbound vehicle. 

Witnesses said the patrol car suddenly veered to the left, and the left side of the vehicle smashed into a concrete block just off the roadway on the south side of the street caving in the driver’s side and pinning Bobby inside. The patrol car then spun backwards into a power pole also on the south side of the street. 

Bobby was transported to the hospital where he would be undergoing surgery. Fellow officers and deputies drove to the Delta Blood Bank in Stockton so they could give blood for Bobby’s surgery. Bobby underwent surgery at about 3:00 am. He died just before 8:00 am in Scenic General Hospital 13 days after his 24thbirthday.

He was survived by his wife Janet, their two year old son Scott, his parents, his brother Tommy and his sisters Roberta and Laverta. 

In 2015 Officer Dan Starr contacted the family and asked permission to name his K9 after Bobby. The family was honored and today “Volk” patrols the streets of Modesto as the legacy of Leo Robert “Bobby” Volk, Jr.

Bobby is at rest in Ceres Memorial Park,  Sec 111, Tier G, Grave 3,    Resthaven E Side at #111 .

Officer Volk is honored at the National Peace Officer Memorial in Washington, D.C., Panel 21-W, Line 13.