Frank Buczek
Agency patch
Patrolman

Frank Buczek

Plainfield Police Division — Plainfield, NJ
Felonious
End of Watch September 18, 1971
Age 51
Tour of Duty 24 yrs
The Vigil Panel 109 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Frank Buczek was shot in the back of the head and killed while working a special detail in a church parking lot at West 6th and Liberty Streets. It is thought that he was ambushed from behind and his service weapon stolen. He was killed just two blocks away from where Patrolman Robert Perry was killed on July 1, 1970. Two suspects were arrested, members of the Plainfield, New Jersey Black Panther Party. Suspects later became members of the Black Liberation Arm. Both were acquitted at trial. He had served with the agency for 24 years and was survived by his wife and three children. He was six months away from retirement.

Survivors

He had served with the agency for 24 years and was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NJ-B1E40B06
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

24 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Buczek gave the Plainfield Police Division 24 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Plainfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Buczek.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Plainfield, NJ
Platform Identity ppdpd.union.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 18, 1971
Tour of Duty 24 yrs
Age 51
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Patrolman Frank Buczek 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 NJ, 229 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.4% of this state's fallen. That is 35.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Plainfield Police Division, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Plainfield Police Division
4
of 4 officers
100% Felonious
NJ — Statewide
229
of 646 officers
35.4% 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. Frank Buczek's cause is highlighted.

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

How Frank Buczek Compares

Age at Death
51
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
24
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Frank Buczek is highlighted in Sep.

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. Frank Buczek was killed by gun.

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