A veteran St. Louis police officer who died during a medical emergency in training was laid to rest this week after serving his community for 32 years.
Family, friends and colleagues gathered at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis to honor police officer Gregory T. Triplett. He passed away April 1 at 58.
During the service, leaders in the department highlighted his steadfast dedication to the city and the younger officers he mentored.
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) Chief Robert Tracy spoke about the respect Triplett commanded during his long career working nights.
“Officer Triplett didn’t need recognition. He just showed up and he did it the right way every single time for three decades,” Tracy said. “If you work nights, you knew Officer Triplett. He was one of those officers that younger cops gravitated towards, not because he told them to, but because they trusted him.”
Tracy emphasized Triplett’s impact beyond daily patrol duties.
“His style of mentorship doesn’t come from a manual. It comes from experience, patience and character,” Tracy added. “Legacy isn’t just the years he put in, it’s the people he helped shape, the officers he mentored and the lives he touched along the way.”
Lieutenant Dan Zarrick, who supervised Triplett for most of the last 10 years, shared stories of his reliability in high-stress situations.
Zarrick recalled a recent incident where officers faced an active shooter. He assigned a shaken younger officer to Triplett’s vehicle so the veteran could help calm him down.
“All Greg did was…everything right. The perfect steady person to help calm Officer Ruffin,” Zarrick said. “For this and many other reasons, it was no surprise to hear Officer Ruffin call Greg a father figure after his passing.”
“It was also no surprise when we asked for volunteers to stay and sit with Greg’s earthly body immediately following his passing, his squad members, they jumped up, they stepped up and took the Night Watch,” Zarrick shared. “What a testament to Greg that they were willing and so badly wanting to do so.”
The public poured out their grief and shared personal stories on social media.
“He was a standout when he would come into the booking unit at juvenile court,” Keith Dockins wrote. “Tripp was respected and set a standard every police officer working in booking could aim for. He was a good memory of that place.”
Triplett graduated from O’Fallon Technical Center in 1986, and later earned a bachelor’s degree in business from Webster University in 1994.
“I was his academic advisor when he was a student at Webster University, and I attended his graduation,” Pat Carr Froeckmann wrote. “We have kept in touch on Facebook since I retired in 2016. I always enjoyed hearing from him. He was a good man.”
The family has asked for contributions to The Backstoppers honoring Triplett’s life.
