Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Ben Franklin died after suffering a heart attack while breaking up a fight at a basketball game at Buchtel High School in Akron. Officer Franklin was working as security when a fight broke out between a subject who had returned to her high school and started a fight with another female. Officer Franklin was arresting the subject, who was resisting when he collapsed. The subject was initially charged with manslaughter but the charge was dismissed. She was convicted of carrying a concealed weapon, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct and was sentenced to 18 months but the judge suspended the sentence to four months. Officer Franklin was a United States Marine Corps Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Akron Police Department for 20 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, two sons, and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-3A7ED15F- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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 Franklin served with the Akron Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Akron 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Ben James Franklin served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Ben James Franklin is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In OH, 43 of 991 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.3 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At Akron Police Department, 2 of 28 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 7.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ben James Franklin's cause is highlighted.
How Ben James Franklin Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Ben James Franklin is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from Akron Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
