Manchester Police Honor Officer Michael Briggs

The department commemorates the 20th anniversary of the officer's death in the line of duty.

Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Law Enforcement

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a stylized municipal stone building facade, evoking solemnity and civic institutional history. — The Manchester Police Department honored Officer Michael Briggs on the 20th anniversary of his death with a ceremony in Manchester. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

The Manchester Police Department recently held a memorial at the gravesite of Officer Michael Briggs to mark two decades since his death. Officers and the Briggs family gathered to honor the fallen officer, who was shot while responding to a domestic disturbance.

Why it matters

The ceremony serves as a solemn reminder of the inherent risks faced by law enforcement and honors the legacy of Officer Briggs within the Manchester community. His death remains a significant point of reflection for the department, which has recorded only five line-of-duty deaths since 1895.

Officer Michael Briggs, who wore badge No. 83, died on October 17, 2006, after being shot by Michael Addison. Addison remains the only death row inmate in New Hampshire despite the state abolishing the death penalty in 2019.

The players

Michael Briggs

He was a Manchester police officer who served as a member of the department until his death in 2006.

Michael Addison

He is the individual convicted of shooting Officer Briggs and is currently the only death row inmate in New Hampshire.

Manchester Police Department

This is the primary law enforcement agency serving the city of Manchester, New Hampshire.

Ralph Miller

He was a Manchester police officer who died in the line of duty in 1976.

The details

Officer Briggs was fatally wounded on October 16, 2006, while responding to a domestic disturbance call. His legacy is memorialized locally through both the Manchester Police Athletic League building and the police headquarters, which carry his name.

1895 marks the earliest recorded line-of-duty death for the department.
Officer Ralph Miller died in the line of duty in 1976.
Michael Addison shot Officer Michael Briggs on October 16, 2006.
Officer Michael Briggs died from his injuries on October 17, 2006.
The department marked 20 years since the shooting in October 2026.

Legal Context

The legal status of the perpetrator is directly tied to the 2019 death penalty abolition law, which dictates that the ban applies only to sentences handed down after the legislation was passed. This leaves the case as an outlier in the state's modern judicial system.

The anniversary service highlights the ongoing connection between the police department and the local community they serve. Residents frequently pass by city buildings named in honor of the fallen officer, keeping the memory of his service active in the public consciousness.

The takeaway

Honoring fallen officers helps maintain a bridge between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. Such memorials ensure that the sacrifices of officers are not forgotten by the public even decades after their passing.