Leo F. Hilenski
Agency patch
Police Officer

Leo F. Hilenski

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch January 16, 1945
Age 46
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Badge 1923
The Vigil Panel 81 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Hilenski was shot and killed while he and his partner attempted to deal with a mentally disturbed person at 5731 Trenton Street. As the two officers climbed the stairs the man appeared on the top and fired a shot from a single-shot shotgun, striking Officer Hilenski in the face. As his partner dragged him to safety, the suspect reloaded. The man then shot Officer Hilenski a second time before being shot and wounded by the partner. The suspect was committed to a state hospital, where he died in 1966. Officer Hilenski had served with the agency for 17 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Hilenski gave the Detroit Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Hilenski.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 16, 1945
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 46
Badge Number 1923
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Leo is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1945, 68 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 105th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Leo was 46. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Leo had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Leo F. Hilenski

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch January 16, 1945

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-E

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