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Police Officer

Michael Jerome Czapski

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch March 29, 1969

Age 22

Tour of Duty 11 mo

The Vigil Panel 230 · Column 4 · Line 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 249

Incident

Officer Michael Czapski was shot and killed when he and his partner responded to reports of a group of men standing in front of a church with rifles at Linwood and Euclid Streets. The men opened fire on the officers as they approached, mortally wounding Officer Czapski. Officer Czapski's partner who was severely wounded radioed for help. More than 50 officers stormed the church, shot and wounded 4 suspects, and arrested 142 people. Police later stated that their investigation was severely hampered when 12 hours later a Recorders Court Judge freed all but two suspects. Three men were eventually charged in connection with the shooting. All three were tried and acquitted a year later. On October 26, 1970, one of them was stabbed to death in Detroit. Officer Czapski was a U.S. Army veteran who served in the military police.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents and two sisters.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Michael is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Police Officer Czapski served with the Detroit Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Detroit Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI

Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 29, 1969

Tour of Duty 11 mo

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Military Service

Michael Jerome Czapski served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Michael is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1969, 124 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 40th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Michael was 22. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Michael had served 0.9 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded