William L. Copeland

Little Rock Police Department — Little Rock, AR

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch December 31, 1885

Age 40

The Vigil Panel 8 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 22

Incident

Officer William Copeland was killed after being assaulted by a jail trusty who was on work release. Officer Copeland was in uniform walking to work at 1900 hours when he spotted the trusty standing on the corner. With the knowledge that trusties had to be back to the jail by 6:00 pm, he began to question the man. The suspect had a special permit to be out until 10:00 pm, however, and during the questioning the man hit Officer Copeland in the head with a blunt object and fled the scene. Officer Copeland was found about two hours later and taken to a local drug store where he succumbed to his injuries shortly after midnight. The suspect was apprehended and convicted of Officer Copeland's murder. Officer Copeland was survived by his wife and three children. He was a Civil War Veteran who served as a private with the 20th Ohio Infantry, Company C.

Survivors

Officer Copeland was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AR-77A6C3AA
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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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 Copeland served with the Little Rock Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Little Rock 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 Little Rock Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Little Rock, Pulaski County, AR

Platform Identity lrpd.pulaski.ar.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 31, 1885

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Blunt object

Military Service

William L. Copeland served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer William L. Copeland 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 AR, 249 of 372 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.9% of this state's fallen. That is 66.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Little Rock Police Department, 19 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 82.6% of this agency's fallen.

Little Rock Police Department

of 23 officers

82.6% Felonious

AR — Statewide

249

of 372 officers

66.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious