Fallen Cleveland officer Jamieson Ritter’s Ohio Army National Guard unit remembers his ‘selfless service’

CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – In the wake of Independence Day, the Ohio National Guard and the former battalion of fallen Cleveland officer Jamieson Ritter honored the veteran for his service.

Before serving as an officer for the Cleveland Division of police, Ritter was a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University, enrolled in the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

Syracuse Army ROTC said Ritter was a Communication and Rhetorical Studies major as a cadet at the University.

“Jamieson has continued to strengthen his leadership skills, emphasizing the value of being able to communicate well not only when one is leading but also when following,” Syracuse Army ROTC shared in regards to his leadership training in Feb. 2019.

Ritter served as Stalwart Battalion’s S6 before he commissioned as a Quartermaster Officer in the New York Army National Guard, according to Syracuse Army ROTC.

Cleveland police said Ritter was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army National Guard, which he served with the 134th Field Artillery Regiment.

After becoming a Cleveland police officer in Nov. 2020, Ofc. Ritter, who previously served with the National Guard, was deployed to Syria in 2020 with his unit, Sgt. Diaz said.

“Ritter was a model for selfless service and was a servant to his community, state, and country,” one Facebook post read.

Ritter returned to serve as an officer in 2023.

“The sudden unexpected loss of one of the finest young officers to have served in our battalion leaves an indescribable feeling of grief and sadness that is difficult to process, amplified by the non-negotiable theme of ‘freedom’ that permeates this holiday, making his loss resonate even deeper for those that knew him well,” one post read.

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