Incident
Reserve Constable Crooks died in hospital at 2:50am the day after he was seriously wounded while on mobile patrol in Coalisland when, at 10:40pm, his car was ambushed by terrorist gunmen as it approached Dernagh Crossroads. A total of fourteen shots were fired with seven hitting the patrol car.
Two other officers in the car were also wounded.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-GB-RUC-934F32FE- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 8, 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.
Reserve Constable Crooks served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Reserve Constable Crooks.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Reserve Constable William Ronald Crooks 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 NIR, 422 of 599 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.5% of this state's fallen. That is 16.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Royal Ulster Constabulary GC, 351 of 469 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 74.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Ronald Crooks's cause is highlighted.
How William Ronald Crooks Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Ronald Crooks is highlighted in Apr.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
468 officers from Royal Ulster Constabulary GC are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.







