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Edward Plank
Agency patch
Trooper First Class

Edward Plank

Maryland State Police — Pikesville, MD
Felonious
United States flag Maryland flag
End of Watch October 17, 1995
Age 28
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
The Vigil Panel 142 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 41

Incident

Trooper Edward Plank was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Route 13, near Perry Road in Westover, at 1:09 a.m. Unbeknownst to Trooper Plank, the driver and passenger of the car were returning to the state after purchasing narcotics. Trooper Plank called for backup when he became suspicious of the driver. After conferring with another officer he approached the vehicle a second time, at which point he was shot in the face and killed instantly. The two subjects fled but were caught later in the day. One of the men was caught after breaking into a house. The owner of the house clubbed the man with an empty rifle after being shot at and then held the man until police arrived. Four hundred grams of cocaine were found in the car that Trooper Plank had stopped. The shooter plead guilty to first-degree murder on May 14th, 1996, and was sentenced to death. In July 1998 the suspect's death sentence was overturned and he now is facing life in prison. Trooper Plank had served with the Maryland State Police for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, a 7-month-old daughter, and his parents.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Trooper First Class Plank gave the Maryland State Police 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Maryland. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper First Class Plank.

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

Agency

Department Maryland State Police
Type State Police
Location Pikesville, MD
Platform Identity msp.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 17, 1995
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Edward 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.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1995, 96 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 58th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Edward was 28. 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. Edward had served 7 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 7.9% 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Maryland State Police has 42 officers remembered here, Edward among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper First Class Edward Plank

Maryland State Police · End of Watch October 17, 1995

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 41-W

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