William H. Dallas

Quincy Police Department — Quincy, IL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch May 30, 1876

Age 32

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 5 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 4

Incident

Officer Billy Dallas was shot and killed as he and his partner conducted a stakeout of a barn where stolen merchandise had been located. When four men appeared at the barn at about 2:00 am, they were confronted by the officers who ordered them to put their hands up. The men, instead, opened fire upon the officers with one suspect striking Officer Dallas three times in the face. He was taken to his home where he was treated by a doctor but died a few hours later. Three men were later arrested and charged with murder. Officer Dallas had served with the Quincy Police Department for two years and was a Union Army veteran of the Civil War. He was survived by his expectant wife and son. Officer Dallas is the first known African-American law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in the state of Illinois. He had been born into slavery and escaped to Chicago, Illinois, before enlisting in the Union Army and becoming a police officer in Quincy.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-59237D99
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. William is one person.

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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.
Officer Dallas gave the Quincy Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Quincy 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 Quincy Police Department

Type Other

Location Quincy, Adams County, IL

Platform Identity qpd.adams.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 30, 1876

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 32

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

William H. Dallas served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer William H. Dallas 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Quincy Police Department, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Quincy Police Department

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious