City of Chesapeake Virginia
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
  • A-Z Index
  • My Chesapeake
Advanced >>
  • Residents
    • A-Z Citizen's Guide
    • Adopt a Pet
    • Boards & Commissions
    • Bulk Trash Collection
    • City Employment
    • City Services – Request
    • Communities
      • South Norfolk
    • Events Planning
    • Farmers Market
    • Fine Arts
    • Flooding
    • Human Services
      • Adult Protective Services
      • Child Protective Services
      • Licensed Child Care
      • Parent and Youth Resources
    • Library
    • Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
      • Maps Gallery
      • Property QuickSearch
    • Mosquito Control Commission
    • New Residents
    • Parks, Recreation and Tourism
    • Public Schools
    • Real Estate Assessments
    • Senior Citizens
    • Sister Cities of Chesapeake
    • Welcome to Chesapeake
    • Chesapeake Television
      • Watch Live!
      • On Demand Video
      • Program Schedule

  • Visitors
    • Visiting Chesapeake?
      • Official Visitor Center
      • Chesapeake Tourism
      • Climate and Weather
      • History of Chesapeake
    • Chesapeake Expressway
    • City Activities and Info
      • City Calendar of Events
      • Parks, Recreation and Tourism
      • Library
      • Directions to City Facilities
    • Communities
      • South Norfolk
    • Attractions
      • Arboretum
      • City Park
      • Deep Creek Park
      • Dismal Swamp Canal Trail
      • Fun Forest
      • Northwest River Park
      • Oak Grove Lake Park
      • Planetarium
      • Great Bridge Battlefield & Waterways History Foundation

  • Business
    • Resources for New and Relocating Businesses
      • Economic Development
      • Opening a New Business
      • New Business Listing
      • Tenant Build-Outs
      • Development Review Process in Chesapeake
    • Doing Business with the City
      • Process
      • Bids and RFPs
    • Development, Land Use & Construction
      • Comprehensive Guide
    • Resources
      • Building Permits and Inspections Information
      • Forms and Permits List
      • Get Your Permit Online
      • Public Facilities Manual (PFM)
      • GIS: Geospatial Data
    • Departments
      • Commissioner of the Revenue
      • Development & Permits
      • Economic Development
      • Health Department
      • Planning
      • Public Utilities
      • Public Works
      • Treasurer

  • Government
    • Welcome to Chesapeake
    • City Council
      • Meetings
      • Members & Mayor
      • Upcoming Agenda
      • Previous Meeting Agendas, Videos & Minutes
      • City Clerk's Office
      • Watch Meeting Live
    • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
    • Boards and Commissions
    • City Departments
    • City Budget
      • Operating & Capital Improvement Budgets
    • Constitutional Offices
      • Clerk of the Circuit Court
      • Commissioner of the Revenue
      • Commonwealth's Attorney
      • Sheriff
      • Treasurer
    • City Manager
    • Animal Services
    • Fire
    • Human Resources
    • Human Services
    • Public Schools
    • Real Estate Assessor
    • Planning Dept
    • Public Works
    • Public Utilities
    • Police
    • Voter Registrar

  • Online Services
    • Request a Service Online
    • Bulk Trash Collection
    • City Forms & Applications
    • Online Payments
      • Treasurer's Payment Center
      • Income Tax Return Information
    • Public Library
      • Library Card Application
    • Submit a FOIA Request
    • Parks and Recreation Online Class Registration
    • Property Information
      • Real Estate Property Information Search
      • Property Quick Search
      • GIS Map Gallery
      • School Zone Lookup
      • Outstanding Real Estate Taxes & Fees Information
    • City Employment
    • Voting
      • Where do I vote?
      • Who is my Legislator?
    • Construction
      • Apply for a Permit
      • Inspection Results
      • Request an Inspection
    • Public Safety
      • File a Police Crime Report
      • Interactive Crime Map

I Want To
  • Become a Police Officer
  • View Crime Information
  • Adopt an Animal
  • File an Online Report
  • File a Complaint or Compliment
This Section
  • Police Memorials
    • Joseph W. Sykes
    • Jasper C. Miller
    • Berchman L. White
    • Talbot D. Barrow
    • Ralph M. Steed
    • Ray P. Gallimore
    • John H. Cherry
    • Daniel E. Eaker
    • Michael K. Saffran
    • Jarrod Brent Shivers
    • Timothy Brian Schock
  • Chiefs of the Chesapeake Police Department
  • Badges of the Chesapeake Police Department
  • Patches of the Chesapeake Police Department
  • Police Department Home
share
print
 > City of Chesapeake, Virginia > Government > City Agencies, Departments, and Offices > Departments > Police Department > Memorial & Historical > Police Memorials > Ralph M. Steed

Ralph M. Steed


Ralph M. Steed

South Norfolk Police Department
Killed in the Line of Duty – June 7, 1962

medalofhonor South Norfolk Police Badge
Medal of Honor South Norfolk Police Badge

Ralph Michael Steed was born in Patterson, New Jersey, on August 5, 1926. Steed later moved to Greensboro, North Carolina where he was raised by his grandmother.

Steed was actively involved in the Armed Forces and enlisted in the U. S. Army following the outbreak of hostilities during World War II. Steed served in many capacities of the Army and was honorably discharged in 1945. Steed received an award in recognition of his devoted and selfless consecration to the service of mankind.

In the late 1940's Steed moved to Virginia where he resided in the 900 block of Freeman Avenue with his wife, Marjorie Steed, and their two children, Cecelia, age 13 and Chris, age 10. Steed owned and operated an automobile shop located at the intersection of Freeman Avenue and Bainbridge Blvd.

He spent much of his time racing cars, motorcycles and go-carts. As a former member of NASCAR, Steed could frequently be seen driving Daredevil cars around South Norfolk.

In the mid 1950's Steed was employed with the South Norfolk Fire Department. He was a fire fighter with the Department approximately five years before joining the South Norfolk Police Department in 1959.

Steed was appointed to the South Norfolk Police Department as a patrolman and served the people of South Norfolk for the three years that followed. Steed went through South Norfolk's first dog school and became a K-9 handler. Further in his career with the Police Department, Steed became a detective.

On June 7, 1962, at approximately 12:10 a.m., Detective Steed and his partner, Patrolman H. P. Bayly were finishing their night's duty. As the two officers approached the intersection of Liberty Street and Atlantic Avenue, they were met by an oncoming vehicle racing towards them at speeds up to 95 miles per hour. The driver of the vehicle, a 20 year old male, was absent without leave from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Norfolk Police had been following the suspect for 4 - 1/2 miles. The suspect, in an attempt to escape from Norfolk Police, approached the intersection, lost control of his vehicle and struck the police vehicle containing Detective Steed and Patrolman Bayly.

Detective Steed was pronounced dead at Norfolk General Hospital four hours after the head on crash.

The suspect was charged with manslaughter, hit and run, reckless driving, driving without a registration card and driving without a license.

Detective Ralph Michael Steed was killed in the line of duty on June 7, 1962, while in the performance of his fundamental duties of serving mankind, safeguarding lives and property.

 
City of Chesapeake Virginia

City Hall Address:
306 Cedar Road
Chesapeake, VA 23322
Blue Heron
Connect with Us Connect with Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Chesapeake Television
  • All Social Media Sites
  • Email and RSS Notifications
  • Chesapeake Alert
  • Other City of Chesapeake Websites
QuickLinks QuickLinks
  • Request a City Service
  • Contact Us
  • News Room
  • Calendar
  • WCTV Chesapeake Television
  • Virginia Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
Policies Policies
  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility

© Copyright 1996 - 2018 • City of Chesapeake • All rights reserved