DeForest Fredenburg
Agency patch
Patrolman

DeForest Fredenburg

Accident
End of Watch March 10, 1917
Age 53
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 32 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Fredenburg and Patrolman John Lober were killed when their police launch was struck by a tugboat in the Hell Gate Rapids section of the East River.

Patrolman Fredenburg had been with the Marine Division for 20 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-3633F4F3
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew DeForest. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Fredenburg gave the New York City Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Fredenburg.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 10, 1917
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Patrolman DeForest Fredenburg is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At New York City Police Department, 283 of 1237 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 22.9% of this agency's fallen.

New York City Police Department
283
of 1,237 officers
22.9% Accident
NY — Statewide
645
of 2,147 officers
30% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. DeForest Fredenburg's cause is highlighted.

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

How DeForest Fredenburg Compares

Age at Death
53
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
20
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. DeForest Fredenburg is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location