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Police Officer

Edward Pakula Jr.

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI

Veteran → Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 16, 1974

Age 27

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Badge 1906

The Vigil Panel 113 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 249

Incident

Officer Edward Pakula and Sergeant Leonard Todd were shot and killed after responding to a call from a barricaded gunman. As soon as they arrived at the gunman's residence at 14021 Mayfield Street, they were met with a hail of bullets. Two other officers were seriously wounded before the suspect was talked into giving himself up. The suspect had been under psychiatric care for several months. The suspect pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree murder and was sentenced to 40 to 80 years on June 4, 1974. He died in prison on June 27, 1975. Officer Pakula was a United States Marine and had served with the Detroit Police Department for four years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-E7CF1B10
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps, salute.nw. One record, 3 gates. Edward is one person.

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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 Pakula gave the Detroit Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit 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

Department Detroit Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI

Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 16, 1974

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 27

Badge Number 1906

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Edward Pakula Jr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1965â1969) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Edward Pakula Jr. 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 MI, 426 of 719 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.2% of this state's fallen. That is 59.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.

Detroit Police Department

177

of 250 officers

70.8% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 719 officers

59.2% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious