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Patrolman

Emil Woelffel

Buffalo Police Department — Buffalo, NY
Accident
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch April 15, 1922
Age 64
Tour of Duty 30 yrs
The Vigil Panel 101 · Column 3 · Line 2 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 50

Incident

Patrolman Emil Woelffel was struck and killed by a train while on a guard post.

Due to a railroad worker's strike, Patrolman Woelffel was assigned to guard the New York Central Railroad Overpass at the corner of Niagara and Tonawanda Streets. At approximately 1530 hours, a light switch engine was traveling on the same tracks that Patrolman Woelffel was guarding. The train was traveling backward on the tracks and the operator never blew its whistle. The train struck Patrolman Woelffel and dragged him 20 feet along the tracks, fracturing his skull. Patrolman Woelffel died from his injuries before he could be taken to a hospital.

Patrolman Woelffel had served with the Buffalo Police Department for 30 years.

Due to a railroad worker's strike, Patrolman Woelffel was assigned to guard the New York Central Railroad Overpass at the corner of Niagara and Tonawanda Streets. At approximately 1530 hours, a light switch engine was traveling on the same tracks that Patrolman Woelffel was guarding. The train was traveling backward on the tracks and the operator never blew its whistle. The train struck Patrolman Woelffel and dragged him 20 feet along the tracks, fracturing his skull. Patrolman Woelffel died from his injuries before he could be taken to a hospital.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

30 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Woelffel gave the Buffalo Police Department 30 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Woelffel.

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

Agency

Department Buffalo Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Buffalo, Erie County, NY
Platform Identity bpd.erie.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 15, 1922
Tour of Duty 30 yrs
Age 64
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Emil is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.

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

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1922, 82 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 23rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Emil was 64. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Emil had served 30 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

April holds 7% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 14.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Buffalo Police Department has 51 officers remembered here, Emil among them.

Across the years

Patrolman Emil Woelffel

Buffalo Police Department · End of Watch April 15, 1922

Where the Name Is Cut

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