Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman William Dreyer was struck by a train while walking his beat.
He was in the process of patrolling the Lake Shore Railroad tracks on Elk Street. Just after a passenger train passed, Patrolman Dreyer resumed his patrol of the railroad crossing and was chasing subjects who had broken into rail cars. Unknown to Patrolman Dreyer, another train was backing down the tracks. Unaware of the approach of that train, Patrolman Dreyer remained on the tracks, and was struck by the second train and was killed instantly.
Patrolman Dreyer was assigned to the 7th Precinct.
He was in the process of patrolling the Lake Shore Railroad tracks on Elk Street. Just after a passenger train passed, Patrolman Dreyer resumed his patrol of the railroad crossing and was chasing subjects who had broken into rail cars. Unknown to Patrolman Dreyer, another train was backing down the tracks. Unaware of the approach of that train, Patrolman Dreyer remained on the tracks, and was struck by the second train and was killed instantly.
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BO-US-NY-DC252882- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
130 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Dreyer served with the Buffalo Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman William Dreyer is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Buffalo Police Department, 26 of 51 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 51% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Dreyer's cause is highlighted.
How William Dreyer Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William Dreyer is highlighted in Nov.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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