Washington DC Metropolitan Police History - Honor a Fallen Officer
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has been serving the District of Columbia for more than 160 years. Until the creation of the MPD by President Abraham Lincoln, the city had only an auxiliary watch with one captain and 15 policemen. President Lincoln personally dispatched an emissary to New York City to become familiar with their system, which had been based on the world-acclaimed Metropolitan London PD. The knowledge gained from this study led to the creation of the MPD on August 6, 1861. Over the years, the MPD has grown in size, diversity and expertise. As the police force for the Nation’s Capital, it has protected the city, its citizens and visitors through many historic events and social changes. During that time, 125 officers have died in the line of duty. Honor these Fallen Officers by learning about their stories below.
Fallen Officers From 1925 – 1949
Click on each MPDC officer below (minus symbol to the right of the name) to see newspaper accounts of the circumstances of their passing.
Articles include officers killed in the line of duty, some of them Medal of Valor recipients, and are largely from Washington Post newspaper articles. This information has been compiled to bring attention to our rich police history. The legacy of our officers’ heroism, sacrifice, professionalism and dedication should instill a sense of pride in ball who wear the badge. We honor these outstanding individuals who will live on as long as they are remembered. It is our duty to remember. Our DC Police Officer Memorial aims to keep their memory.
The Board of Directors for the Metropolitan Washington, DC Police Memorial & Museum would like to express its gratitude to Dave Richardson MPD/Ret. for compiling this research.
Claude C. Koontz - 1925
End of Watch: November 30, 1925
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: N/A
Age: N/A
Location of Death: 1100 Pennsylvania Ave, SW
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Earl A. Skinner - 1926
End of Watch: June 9, 1926
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 5 years
Age: 38
Location of Death: 21st and L streets, NW
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Leo W. Busch - 1926
End of Watch: September 28, 1926
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 1 year, 10 months
Age: 28
Location of Death: Grant Circle, NW
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James G Helm - 1928
End of Watch: February 11, 1928
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 5 years
Age: 43
Location of Death: Bladensburg Road, NE
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Claude O. Rupe - 1928
End of Watch: October 14, 1928
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 4 years, 11 months
Age: 27
Location of Death: 300 block of Maryland Avenue, SW
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John Francis McAuliffe - 1929
End of Watch: January 21, 1929
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 1 year
Age: 21
Location of Death: 1213 34th Street, NW
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William Shirley Buchanan - 1929
End of Watch: April 18, 1929
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 4 years
Age: 24
Location of Death: New Hampshire Avenue and 7th Street, NW
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Harry J. McDonald - 1929
End of Watch: July 22, 1929
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 7 years
Age: N/A
Location of Death: 300 block of Maryland Avenue
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Edgar P. Alexander - 1929
End of Watch: November 16, 1929
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 15
Age: 45
Location of Death: Montgomery County, MD
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Ross H. Kaylor - 1929
End of Watch: December 10, 1929
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: N/A
Age: 62
Location of Death: District of Columbia
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Frederick W. Bauer - 1930
End of Watch: June 6, 1930
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 7 years
Age: 40
Location of Death: George Washington Hospital
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Frank J. Scoville - 1930
End of Watch: September 24, 1930
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 9 years
Age: 39
Location of Death: 5th and Q streets, NW
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Jessie L. Taylor - 1931
End of Watch: May 17, 1931
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: N/A
Age: N/A
Location of Death: Thomas Circle, NW
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Charles D. Poole - 1931
End of Watch: August, 4, 1931
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 13
Age: 39
Location of Death: Fort Totten Road, NW
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Arthur H. Gelhar - 1931
End of Watch: August 8, 1931
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 9 years, 6 months
Age: 38
Location of Death: 3000 Connecticut Ave, NW
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George W. Shinault - 1932
End of Watch: August 14, 1932
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 6 years, 6 months
Age: 38
Location of Death: 39 P Street, NW
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Elmer A. Swanson - 1932
End of Watch: July 6, 1932
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 11 months
Age: N/A
Location of Death: 506 First Street, SE
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Raymond V. Sinclair - 1934
End of Watch: December 28, 1934
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 9
Age: N/A
Location of Death: Bladensburg Road, NW
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Frank L. Nussbaum - 1936
End of Watch: February 16, 1936
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 37 years, 9 months
Age: 64
Location of Death: George Washington Hospital
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Paul W. Jones - 1936
End of Watch: March 14, 1936
Rank: Detective Sergeant, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 25 years
Age: 55
Location of Death: Baltimore-Washington Parkway
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Ernest T. Wessells - 1938
End of Watch: April 23, 1938
Rank: Private, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 7
Age: 29
Location of Death: Piney Branch and Butternut Street, NW
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Richard T. Conklin - 1938
End of Watch: June 5, 1938
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Age: N/A
Years of Service: N/A
Location of Death: Piney Branch and Butternut Street, NW
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Raymond E. Grant - 1939
End of Watch: August 14, 1939
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: N/A
Age: 29
Location of Death: Loughboro Road, NW
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Robert W. Davis - 1940
End of Watch: January 1, 1940
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 8
Age: 36
Location of Death: 25th Street, SE
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Charles F. Cummins - 1940
End of Watch: June 12, 1940
Rank: Sergeant, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 18
Age: 43
Location of Death: 1700 Rhode Island Avenue, NE
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Uel M. Gaile - 1940
End of Watch: August 19, 1940
Rank: Detective Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 17
Age: 40
Location of Death: 13th Street and New York Avenue, NW
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Irving Rosenburg - 1942
End of Watch: February 15, 1942
Rank: Auxiliary Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 23
Age: 53
Location of Death: 13th and M streets, NW
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Charles R. Johnston - 1943
End of Watch: May 9, 1943
Rank: Detective Badge No. N/A
Age: 24
Years of Service:
Location of Death: 617 21st Street, NE
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William J. Weston Jr - 1945
End of Watch: March 4, 1945
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Age: 27
Years of Service: 2 years, 5 months
Location of Death: 1418 Florida Avenue, NE
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Donald W. Downs - 1946
End of Watch: September 1, 1946
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: 7
Age: 27
Location of Death: 7th Street and Main Avenue, SW
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Harry E. Hamilton - 1946
End of Watch: November 1, 1946
Rank: Detective, Badge No. N/A
Years of Service: N/A
Age: 39
Location of Death: Florida Avenue and G Street, NW
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Richard H. Taylor - 1946
End of Watch: December 13, 1946
Rank: Officer, Badge No. N/A
Age: 47
Years of Service: 22
Location of Death: 924 17th Street, NW
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Hubert W. Estes - 1947
End of Watch: May 16, 1947
Rank: Officer, Badge No.
Age: 51
Years of Service:
Location of Death:
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Mortimer P. Donoghue - 1948
End of Watch: August 19, 1948
Rank: Officer, Badge No.
Age: 58
Years of Service: 29
Location of Death: 75th and K Streets, NW
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Grady A. Beacham - 1948
End of Watch: December 2, 1948
Rank: Corporal, Badge No. N/A
Age: 40
Years of Service: 17 years
Location of Death: 1601 Montello Avenue, NE
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Rest easy, sleep well my brother. Know the blue line has held, your job is done.
Rest easy, sleep well. Others have taken up where you fell. The blue line has held.
Peace, peace and farewell….
— Author unknown.
(“blue” added to the original)
Honor MPD Fallen Officers by Making a Donation to Our Memorial
Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Memorial & Museum gratefully appreciates and accepts donations in any amount. We are a 501(c)(3) organization operating under EIN 46-1976045; therefore your donations are tax deductible. Because we have no paid staff nearly 100% of your donation goes to help build the Memorial and Museum.