Holly MatkinLeavenworth, KS – Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Chief Deputy Major Jeffery “Jeff” Dedeke died on June 11 after suffering a heart attack, according to county officials.
“On the afternoon of Saturday, June 11th, 2022, the Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office lost one of their own,” the County of Leavenworth said in a Facebook post on June 13. “Chief Deputy Major Jeff Dedeke suffered a sudden heart attack and subsequently passed away.”
The county said Maj. Dedeke was “a friend to the Law Enforcement Community” he spent his life working within.
“The tremors of his loss are felt throughout the community,” the post read.
Maj. Dedeke, 54, served in the U.S. Marine Corps before he joined the Leavenworth Police Department (LPD) in 1989, according to his obituary.
He served the LPD as a patrol officer, field training officer, and defensive tactics instructor, according to his profile on the LCSO’s website.
Maj. Dedeke hired on at the LCSO in 2001 and spent the rest of his career serving alongside his brother, his obituary read.
The major worked as a jail deputy, detective, and patrol deputy during his decades of service with the sheriff’s office, according to the LCSO’s website.
He was especially skilled in cellular forensics/cell tower data analysis and forensic linguistics, which caused him to be involved in multiple high-profile cases nationwide.
Maj. Dedeke, who was third in command at the LCSO at the time of his death, was most recently tasked with overseeing the department’s administrative and detention bureaus.
“Our thoughts are with Sheriff Andy Dedeke, his family, and the entire Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office who are mourning the loss of Chief Deputy Jeff Dedeke,” the LPD said in a Facebook post on Sunday. “Major Dedeke devoted his entire life to the Law Enforcement profession and public service. This is an enormous loss for our community.”
Maj. Dedeke leaves behind his wife of 32 years, Tammy, as well as his children and grandchildren.
He will be laid to rest on June 23.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Dedeke family, @LVCountyKS Sheriff’s office, and all that knew Chief Deputy Jeff Dedeke. We are grieving his passing. He spent his life dedicated to our community. pic.twitter.com/DSTS7exFR1
— LVCO Prosecutor (@LVCO_Prosecutor) June 12, 2022
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Leavenworth County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Major Jeffery “Jeff” Dedeke, both blood and blue. Thank you for your service.
Rest easy, hero. We’ll hold the line from here.
Sandy Malone
