William H. Knecht

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Cardiac

End of Watch June 20, 1898

Age 63

Tour of Duty 36 yrs

The Vigil Panel 15 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 377

Incident

Police Officer William Knecht Suffered a fatal heart attack as a result of helping an injured man three weeks earlier in the 3100 block of Webster Street.

He had helped free a man who became pinned underneath of his vehicle while working on it. Officer Knecht took the man to Saint Joseph's Hospital for treatment when he became stricken due to over-exertion and extreme heat. He remained at the hospital for more than a week until he was released to go back home. While at home resting he went to sleep and lapsed into a coma until he passed away one week later.

Officer Knecht had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 36 years and was assigned to the 12th Police District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and several children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-2FA089EF
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

128 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Knecht gave the Philadelphia Police Department 36 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Location Philadelphia, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 20, 1898

Tour of Duty 36 yrs

Age 63

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Cause Detail Heart attack

Police Officer William H. Knecht is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 118 of 1,261 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.4% of this state's fallen. That is 5.4 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 37 of 378 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.8% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

of 378 officers

9.8% Cardiac

PA — Statewide

118

of 1,261 officers

9.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac