Harland O. Wood
Agency patch
Undersheriff

Harland O. Wood

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch October 16, 1930
Age 40
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 60 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Undersheriff Harland Wood was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man on a warrant for writing a $2.00 bad check. The man was visiting his wife at an apartment at 9 North Street, in Hillsdale, when Undersheriff Wood attempted to arrest him. The man's wife and brother were arrested after the man fled the area following the shooting. The 31-year-old ex-convict was apprehended January 9, 1932, near Park Falls, Wisconsin. He was extradited to Michigan, convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled on February 16, 1959. Undersheriff Wood was a veteran of WWI and had served with the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, mother, sister and four brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-0BB776C6
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 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.
Undersheriff Wood gave the Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Hillsdale 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

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Hillsdale, Hillsdale County, MI
Platform Identity hcso.hillsdale.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 16, 1930
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 40
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Harland O. Wood served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Undersheriff Harland O. Wood 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 59.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office
4
of 4 officers
100% Felonious
MI — Statewide
426
of 718 officers
59.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Harland O. Wood's cause is highlighted.

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

How Harland O. Wood Compares

Age at Death
40
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Harland O. Wood is highlighted in Oct.

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. Harland O. Wood was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Harland O. Wood served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Harland O. Wood’s page on salute.nw →

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