William F. Frahm
Agency patch
Police Officer

William F. Frahm

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch September 30, 1927
Age 45
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Badge 480
The Vigil Panel 54 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Frahm was shot and killed during an escape attempt while leading a prisoner through a tunnel connecting the jail and court building. The 34-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to 40 years. Officer Frahm had served with the Detroit Police Department for 21 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-5C78F860
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

21 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Frahm gave the Detroit Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Frahm.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 30, 1927
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 45
Badge Number 480
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Police Officer William F. Frahm 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 97,756 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 59.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.

Detroit Police Department
177
of 250 officers
70.8% Felonious
MI — Statewide
426
of 718 officers
59.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,756 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William F. Frahm's cause is highlighted.

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

How William F. Frahm Compares

Age at Death
45
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
21
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William F. Frahm is highlighted in Sep.

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. William F. Frahm was killed by gun.

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