W. L. Steele

Decatur Police Department — Decatur, AL

Felonious

End of Watch April 28, 1905

The Vigil Panel 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Sanitary Officer W.L. Steele was shot and killed with his own service revolver after making an arrest for a minor offense at 11:15 am. He was walking the suspect to jail when the man began to fight with him. The suspect was able to gain control of Officer Steele's gun and shot him in the chest. The man fled but was later apprehended and convicted of murdering Officer Steele. He was executed by hanging on June 16, 1905. Sanitary Officer Steele was responsible for enforcing the city's municipal health code.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-175F67F4
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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.
Sanitary Officer Steele served with the Decatur Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Decatur community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sanitary Officer Steele.

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

Agency

Department Decatur Police Department

Location Decatur, AL

Platform Identity dpd.morgan.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 28, 1905

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Executed in 1905

Sanitary Officer W. L. Steele 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Decatur Police Department, 5 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Decatur Police Department

of 5 officers

100% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious