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Wichita Police Department Police Memorial
This page is dedicated to the officers of the Wichita Police Department in the state of Kansas, U.S.A.
IN MEMORIAM TO THOSE OFFICERS WHO MADE THE SUPREME SACRIFICE
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Detective
William L. Humphries
(February 23, 1915
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Type of Crime: Suspect Stop
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Pool Hall at 803 E. Douglas
Humphries, the first Wichita officer to lose his life in the line of duty, was attempting to question a suspect that he had cornered in a pool hall. The trapped suspect pulled a handgun and fired from close range at the officer. Humphries attempted to seize his assailant but collapsed and died. |
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Captain
Frank W. Griswold
May 23, 1915
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Type of Crime: Burglary
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: A.E. Bump at 228 N. Main
Captain Griswold was killed and Patrolman Al Harrel was shot through the right arm in a gun fight with burglers, whom they suprised robbing the A.E. Bump shoe store, shortly after one o'clock this morning. The robbers are believed to have been Mexicans. |
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Detective
William H. Ballard
July 20, 1920
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Type of Crime: Narcotics Investigation
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Private Residence just West of 1st N. & Wichita
While conducting a narcotics investigation with two officers, Ballard was shot three times and killed as he attempted to search one of the suspects. The other officers on scene were wounded, one seriously. The shooting occurred as the officers concentrated on one suspect while another was partially hidden behind a mattress and had a chance to open fire. A female suspect, jailed for investigation of the Ballard shooting, killed herself in her cell, and a male suspect attempted suicide. |
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Patrolman
A.L. Young
November 5, 1921
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Type of Crime: Gang Activity
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Alley east of 11th St. N & Lewellen
While walking a beat, near the corner of Lewellen and Eleventh, Young was shot in the back and killed from ambush by Eddie Adams. Persons in the neighborhood say a duel was engaged in between the two men and nine shots were heard. Young's revolver was found to be empty. It is believed that Adams ambushed Young because Young had the affection of a girl Adams was interested in, and rejected by. Adams was also responsible for the killings of two other Wichita officers. |
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Patrolman
Robert Fitzpatrick
November 21, 1921
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Type of Crime: Traffic Stop
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Area of Hydraulic & Harry
Officer Fitzpatrick and his partner, Rudy LaCroix, were informed that the notorious Eddie Adams gang was in the Wichita area. When the officers stopped a car for a burned-out taillight, they recognized one of the occupants as a member of the Adams gang. Fitzpatrick attempted to apprehend the suspects for questioning, but Adams, who was also in the car, accelerated the vehicle and sped off. Just as the suspect vehicle began to speed off, one of the gang members, Frank Foster, fired from the car, killing Fitzpatrick. |
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Detective
Charles D. Hoffman
November 23, 1921
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Type of Crime: Murder
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Driverless Auto Livery, 306 S. Lawrence Ave.
Suspected murderer and gangster Eddie Adams, whose gang had killed officers A. L. Young and Robert Fitzpatrick, was attempting to rent a car from a motor livery. Evidently the police were alerted by the business owner. When Detective Hoffman and two others entered the back door of the livery, Adams recognized them and drew his gun. Detective Hoffman lunged forward, seizing Adams, but Adams worked his gun hand free and fired, killing Hoffman instantly. He then fired on one of the other officers, hitting him. The third officer, hidden behind a pillar took careful aim and killed Adams. |
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Detective
Charlie E. Galloway
July 15, 1923
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Type of Crime: None
Type of Death: Blood Poisoning
Location: Downtown Wichita
While assisting other members of the department with sandbagging a flooded area of the city, Detective Galloway sustained a small cut on his foot. Infection set in and he succumbed to blood poisoning |
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Patrolman
Robert C. Scudder
November 27, 1923
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Type of Crime: Disturbance
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Yeomen Hall (dance hall) at 414 1/2 E. Douglas Ave.
Officer Scudder was responding to a disturbance call at a dance hall. Proceeding up the stairs he met Ray Foor whom he halted and attempted to body search. The suspect fired, wounding Scudder, and then fled. Another officer followed in pursuit. Officer Scudder died three days later of his wound. |
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Patrolman
Harrison Brown
January 4, 1925
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Type of Crime: Suspect Stop
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Makin Eye Drug Store at 13th N. & Wabash
Officer Brown was the first black officer to be killed in the line of duty in Wichita. While walking a beat, Brown was advised of a man with a gun, Brown stopped a man named Duke Kelley. Brown asked Kelley to speak to him a minute, and Kelley drew a revolver from beneath his overcoat and fired. Brown ran to the door and emptied his revolver at Kelley as he fled up the street, Brown then fell into the arms of a witness who ran to his aid. After Kelley fatally shot Brown, he then confessed to his murder. |
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Patrolman
Edward F. Hall
April 10,1925
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Type of Crime: Traffic Stop
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Area 13th N. & Hillside
Officer Hall and Detective Burnside observed a car stopped at a Standard Oil filling station at 13th N & Hillside. When Hall and Burnside approached, the men ran into their car and started to drive away. Hall and Burnside stopped the vehicle and Hall began questioning one of the suspects. One of the bandits, who had been climbing out of the car during this conversation, began firing at Hall, who fell at the first shot. |
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Patrolman
Vernon E. Ogden
June 26, 1927
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Type of Crime: Vehicle Pursuit
Type of Death: Traffic Accident
Location: Cleveland Street
Officer Ogden was pursuing a speeder on his motorcycle on Cleveland Ave., when he crashed into the side of a fast-moving Frisco passenger train. Officer Ogden died the following day from injuries received in the collision. |
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Patrolman
Joseph G. Marshall
August 9, 1927
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Type of Crime: Robbery
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: 1100 block of N. Lawrence Ave.
Officer Marshall was in the sidecar of a motorcycle being driven by Officer Frank Bush when they recognized an automobile that had been involved in a robbery. They stopped the vehicle, and as Marshall approached, the men in the car opened fire. The killers, members of the well-known Porter Meeks gang, were shot and mortally wounded by Officer Bush. |
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Sergeant
Paul E. Gilmore
July 18, 1930
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Type of Crime: None
Type of Death: Traffic Accident
Location: mulitple
Sergeant Gilmore died during surgery from complications sustained in two seperate motorcycle accidents while on motorcycle patrol. |
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Lieutenant
James O. Pugh
August 1, 1930
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Type of Crime: None
Type of Death: Traffic Accident
Location:
Lieutenant Pugh was on motorcycle patrol and was killed in a traffic accident. |
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Detective
Merle R. Colver
August 14, 1931
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Type of Crime: Robbery
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Douglas Ave. rooming house
Detective Colver was questioning two men, who were suspects in several gas station robberies in their hotel room. While questioning them he bagan searching the room and was shot in the back by one of the suspects. The assailant was an escaped murderer from Oklahoma. |
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Patrolman
David A. Kenyon
October 26, 1962
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Type of Crime: Domestic Disturbance
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: Private residence 900 block of N. Rutan
Officer Kenyon and Officer Dando were attempting to settle a domestic disturbance between a husband and wife. Once things settled down the husband had agreed to leave, then suddenly pulled a gun on them. Dando, Kenyon and the wife backed up towards the door and then the wife bolted for the door and was pushed outside by Kenyon. The husband fired a shot striking and killing Kenyon. |
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Patrolman
Paul Garofalo
November 8, 1980
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Type of Crime: Suspect Stop
Type of Death: Gunshot
Location: 1000 block of E. 9th St. N.
Officer Garofalo was on patrol when he stopped to question two women on the street. As he stopped his car, a man emerged and approached his car on the driver's side. The man fired a shotgun through the car window and killed Officer Garofalo instantly. |
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Patrolman
Danny Laffey
January 5, 1982
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Type of Crime: Public Disturbance
Type of Death: Accident
Location: 3100 block of E. 13th St. N.
Officer Laffey was investigating a disturbance call at the Zanzibar Club. He had stopped a suspect vehicle in the street and was in the process of removing the occupants when a passing vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed and having defective brakes jumped the curb and struck Officer Laffey. |
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Lieutenant
John E. (Jack) Galvin
November 4, 2000
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Type of Crime: None
Type of Death: Explosion
Location: WPD Bomb Range
Lieutenant Galvin was a member of the Wichita Police Department's Explosives Ordinance Unit. He was injured on October 20, 2000 when fireworks he was loading into a detonation pit for a training exercise ignited prematurely. Lt. Galvin suffered burns over 80% of his body. He succumbed to injuries received in this accident on November 4, 2000. |
The Wichita Police Department needs your help. The WPD is looking for photographs of fallen
officers to honor their memory and pay tribute to the price they paid to keep our city safe. If
you are a family member or relative of a fallen officer we would be grateful if you could help us in
retrieving old pictures of these officers for this web page and historical purposes. Please contact
us at policeweb@wichita.gov or Police Information Services Unit (316) 268-4149.
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In the Simple Performance of Duty
In the simple performance of duty,
he pinned on a badge,
checked his gear with a practiced eye,
and kissed his loved ones good-bye.
In the simple performance of duty,
he reported for work,
joked with his buddies at roll call,
and made his last trip down the squad room hall.
In the simple performance of duty,
he headed for his beat,
doing his job protecting his home from crime,
he stopped cars, and checked buildings for the last time.
In the simple performance of duty,
he answered the call,
to help the helpless, to find the lost,
no matter the danger or how great the cost.
In the simple performance of duty,
he lay down his life,
for those in peril he tried to save,
our brave friend went to his grave.
In the simple performance of duty,
we honor his deed,
as we carry him to rest in a flag draped casket,
long after the world has forgotten, we shall never forget.
never judge or regret,
what he did,
In the simple performance of duty.
By Detective Oscar R. Thomasson II
Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department |
Law Enforcement Memorial of Sedgwick County
Wichita Police Main | Honor Guard
Kansas Law Enforcement Memorial
National Law Enforcement Memorial
Wichita Police Department History
Special Thanks to Det. Roger Williamson for his work on The Wichita Police Department 1871-2000. The history excerpts on this page are taken from the book and took his hard work and time to research. |
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