Phelin McDonough
Agency patch
Police Officer

Phelin McDonough

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 18, 1925
Age 35
Tour of Duty 6 mo
Badge 1751
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Phelim McDonough was shot and killed while responding to a robbery in progress at Brownie's Drug Store at 16137 Twelfth Street. He was fatally wounded when he exchanged shots with three suspects as he arrived at the scene. One of the suspects was wounded. The suspect who murdered Officer McDonough was shot and killed ten days later by a Detroit policeman during another drug store hold-up. Officer McDonough was a WWI veteran and was a POW for 18 months during the war. He had served with the Detroit Police Department for only 6 months at the time of his death.

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 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 McDonough 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

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

Service Record

End of Watch February 18, 1925
Tour of Duty 6 mo
Age 35
Badge Number 1751
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Phelin McDonough served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Phelin 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.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1925, 208 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 11th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Phelin was 35. 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. Phelin had served 0.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Phelin McDonough

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch February 18, 1925

Military Service

Phelin McDonough served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Phelin McDonough’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 45-E

Also Remembered

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