Lawrence J. Phelan
Agency patch
Roundsman

Lawrence J. Phelan

Brooklyn Police Department — New York, NY
Felonious
End of Watch December 27, 1876
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
The Vigil Panel 5 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Roundsman Phelan died of injuries he received six years earlier when he was struck on the head with a paving stone.

Roundsman Phelan was struck in the head with a paving stone while assisting in a U.S. Government raid on an illegal whiskey still at the corner of Hudson Avenue and Plymouth Street.

Roundsman Phelan had served with the Brooklyn Police Department for 19 years and was assigned to the 2nd Precinct (present-day 84th Precinct).

Roundsman Phelan was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Roundsman Phelan was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-6E6DBEB3
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

150 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Roundsman Phelan gave the Brooklyn Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity bpd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 27, 1876
Tour of Duty 19 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Blunt object

Roundsman Lawrence J. Phelan 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 NY, 728 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.9% of this state's fallen. That is 33.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Brooklyn Police Department, 6 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Brooklyn Police Department
6
of 9 officers
66.7% Felonious
NY — Statewide
728
of 2,147 officers
33.9% 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. Lawrence J. Phelan's cause is highlighted.

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

How Lawrence J. Phelan Compares

Years of Service
19
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Lawrence J. Phelan is highlighted in Dec.

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. Lawrence J. Phelan was killed by blunt object.

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

Incident Location