Harry A. Hamilton

Battle Creek City Police Department — Battle Creek, MI

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch May 9, 1920

Age 41

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 38 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Detective Harry Hamilton was shot and killed while he and other officers were testing out various guns at the Battle Creek Rifle Range on Grand Boulevard. A farmer who lived nearby was cleaning his gun and using the range's targets to adjust his sights. The farmer fired just as Detective Hamilton appeared in the range near the target and the round struck him in the head. Officer Hamilton was taken to a nearby hospital where he died of his wound. Detective Hamilton had served in law enforcement for 15 years and previously served as the warden for the state prison in Jackson.

Survivors

He was a Spanish-American War veteran and was survived by his wife, two daughters, and mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-75BC2987
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Detective Hamilton gave the Battle Creek City Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Battle Creek 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 Battle Creek City Police Department

Location Battle Creek, MI

Platform Identity bcpd.calhoun.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 9, 1920

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Offender Not available

Military Service

Harry A. Hamilton served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Detective Harry A. Hamilton is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Battle Creek City Police Department, 3 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Battle Creek City Police Department

of 6 officers

50% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious