William Hans Jurgens

Davenport Police Department — Davenport, IA

Felonious

End of Watch July 16, 1958

Age 46

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

The Vigil Panel 93 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Detective Sergeant William Jurgens was shot and killed while assisting another officer arrest a suspect in a kidnapping case. As Sergeant Jurgens pulled up to the scene of the arrest, the man was able to gain control of the other officer's weapon and began shooting. Sergeant Jurgens was struck in the head and the other officer was wounded. The suspect was apprehended by other officers arriving on the scene. A woman, who the suspect had abducted at knife point from a nightclub, escaped unharmed during the shooting. The suspect was convicted of first degree murder and attempted murder and sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison October 8, 1958. On October 7, 1973, he escaped from the Iowa Penitentiary. On December 3, 1975, he was captured by an FBI agent near Clovis, New Mexico. He died in prison August 27, 1996. Sergeant Jurgens had served with the agency for 17 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-5AF4E067
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Sergeant Jurgens gave the Davenport Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Davenport community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Jurgens.

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

Agency

Department Davenport Police Department

Location Davenport, IA

Platform Identity dpd.scott.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 16, 1958

Tour of Duty 17 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Died in prison

Detective Sergeant William Hans Jurgens 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Davenport Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Davenport Police Department

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious