William S. Gordon

Norwich Police Department — Norwich, CT

Felonious

End of Watch July 7, 1881

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 7 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Lieutenant William Gordon succumbed to injuries received on April 26th, 1881, in a violent struggle with a prisoner attempting to escape from a jail cell at police headquarters in the city hall building. During the long struggle, Lieutenant Gordon was struck several times with a cuspidor. The inmate escaped but was arrested four months later and convicted of Lieutenant Gordon's murder. Lieutenant Gordon had served with the Norwich Police Department for 15 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CT-88E791BD
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

145 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Lieutenant Gordon gave the Norwich Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Norwich community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Norwich Police Department

Location Norwich, CT

Platform Identity npd.southeastern.ct.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 7, 1881

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Blunt object

Offender Apprehended and convicted

Lieutenant William S. Gordon 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 CT, 74 of 169 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.4 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Norwich Police Department, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Norwich Police Department

of 5 officers

60% Felonious

CT — Statewide

of 169 officers

43.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious