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Clifford T. Hill
Lieutenant

Clifford T. Hill

Bessemer Police Department — Bessemer, AL
Veteran → Felonious
United States flag Alabama flag
End of Watch May 2, 1979
Age 48
The Vigil Panel 121 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 9

Incident

Lieutenant Clifford Hill was killed when a package he was opening exploded. He was in the office of the newly elected public safety commissioner and was assisting the mayor's secretary. An investigation revealed that the package contained a bomb intended for the new public safety commissioner. A former police officer who had purchased bomb making materials and had studied bomb making was tried and convicted for the murder, however, the suspect was later acquitted at a retrial in 1980.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-47EFEEA8
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Lieutenant Hill served with the Bessemer Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bessemer community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Hill.

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

Agency

Department Bessemer Police Department
Type Other
Location Bessemer, Jefferson County, AL
Platform Identity besspd.jefferson.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 2, 1979
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Explosives

Military Service

Clifford T. Hill served in the the United States military (1951–1953) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Lieutenant Clifford T. Hill is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 63 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Bessemer Police Department, 10 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Bessemer Police Department
10
of 10 officers
100% Felonious
AL — Statewide
405
of 643 officers
63% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Clifford T. Hill's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Clifford T. Hill Compares

Age at Death
48
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Clifford T. Hill is highlighted in May.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Clifford T. Hill was killed by explosives.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Military Service

Clifford T. Hill served in the United States military (1951–1953) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Clifford T. Hill’s page on salute.nw →

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