John Stuart Trettin
Agency patch
Police Officer

John Stuart Trettin

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 29, 1976
Age 29
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Badge 4623
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer John Trettin was shot and fatally wounded by a bullet fired from the roof of a housing project at 25th and Jackson Streets as he and several officers investigated a report of shots being fired. He died four days later from a gunshot wound to the head. A 15-year-old youth was arrested the next day and charged with murder. The suspect, who told police, "I just wanted to kill a cop," was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on September 21st, 1976. In September 2017, the subject was resentenced to 44 years to life in prison, making him eligible for parole, following a United States Supreme Court ruling prohibiting mandatory life sentences for juvenile offenders. Officer Trettin was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three young children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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. John 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 Trettin gave the Philadelphia Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 29, 1976
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 29
Badge Number 4623
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

Military Service

John Stuart Trettin served in the U.S. Army (1966–1968) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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 1976, 137 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 30th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 29. 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. John had served 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%. Sundays: 15.2%.

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 rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer John Stuart Trettin

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch February 29, 1976

Military Service

John Stuart Trettin served in the U.S. Army (1966–1968) before joining law enforcement.

Visit John Stuart Trettin’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 62-E

Also Remembered

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