William R. Berte

Springfield Police Department — Springfield, MA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch January 8, 1973

Age 27

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 111 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 18

Incident

Officer William Berte was shot and killed by another officer in the department's garage. Patrolman Berte had gone to the police garage to pick up a cruiser. He and a patrolman assigned to the garage began arguing as they filled his cruiser with gasoline. The argument turned into a scuffle, and the patrolman was shot with a service revolver. He died at Wesson Memorial Hospital. The other officer was charged with murder. Officer Berte was a United States Coast Guard veteran and had served with the Springfield Police Department for 3 years. He was survived by his wife, a son, two daughters, his mother, and three sisters. He is buried at Saint Michael's Cemetary, Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, a son, two daughters, his mother, and three sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-E60A589C
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.
Police Officer Berte gave the Springfield Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Springfield 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 Springfield Police Department

Location Springfield, MA

Platform Identity spd.hampden.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 8, 1973

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender In custody

Military Service

William R. Berte served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer William R. Berte 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Springfield Police Department, 7 of 19 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 36.8% of this agency's fallen.

Springfield Police Department

of 19 officers

36.8% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious