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Police Officer

John Stuart Trettin

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 29, 1976

Age 29

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Badge 4623

The Vigil Panel 117 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 377

Incident

Police Officer John Trettin was shot and fatally wounded by a bullet fired from the roof of a housing project at 25th and Jackson Streets as he and several officers investigated a report of shots being fired. He died four days later from a gunshot wound to the head. A 15-year-old youth was arrested the next day and charged with murder. The suspect, who told police, "I just wanted to kill a cop," was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life on September 21st, 1976. In September 2017, the subject was resentenced to 44 years to life in prison, making him eligible for parole, following a United States Supreme Court ruling prohibiting mandatory life sentences for juvenile offenders. Officer Trettin was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three young children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-FB81A5C4
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. Army. One record, 2 gates. John 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 Trettin gave the Philadelphia Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 29, 1976

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 29

Badge Number 4623

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Military Service

John Stuart Trettin served in the U.S. Army (1966â1968) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer John Stuart Trettin 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 47.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

162

of 378 officers

42.9% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious