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Wilfred F. Golla
Agency patch
Police Officer

Wilfred F. Golla

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
United States flag Michigan flag
End of Watch October 24, 1931
Age 28
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Badge 1616
The Vigil Panel 63 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Keepsakes Department 249

Incident

Officer Wilfred Golla was shot and mortally wounded while pursuing a robbery suspect. Officer Golla was informed by a citizen that a nearby market had just been robbed and the proprietor had been shot. Officer Golla proceeded to pursue the suspect who opened fire on him at St. Aubin and Antietam Streets, striking Officer Golla in the face. He died from his wound three weeks later. Twelve days after he was shot three men were arrested after they robbed and killed the proprietor in his fish market. One was identified of Officer Golla's murderer after the pistol he had matched the one used in Officer Golla's murder. Officer Golla was shot one hour after he had gone on duty after a 17 day leave of absence. He had been at the bedside of his 20-year-old wife, in a hospital, who was very ill after delivering their first child, who died a week earlier. She had been released and was at home when police officials informed her that her husband had died. She went into a state of shock and was rushed to a hospital where she died an hour later. Her official cause of death was listed, due to all the trauma she had gone through. Officer Golla had served with the agency for 2 years and was assigned to the 3rd Precinct.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
NW-TDVZ-YP2D-K earlier record number BO-US-MI-D6F0DA70
Stewardship
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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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Golla gave the Detroit Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Golla.

— 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 October 24, 1931
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 28
Badge Number 1616
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Wilfred is one of 15,741 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.2% of the 27,543 remembered there.

33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1931, 221 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Wilfred was 28. Of the 14,215 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Wilfred had served 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 7.8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.2% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Wilfred among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Wilfred F. Golla

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch October 24, 1931

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 20-W

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