Thomas Benjamin "Ben" Wallace

Bessemer Police Dept. — Bessemer, AL

Felonious

End of Watch February 29, 1916

Age 51

Tour of Duty 26 yrs

The Vigil Panel 30 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 9

Incident

Chief Wallace was shot and killed while coming to the assistance of two detectives who were struggling with a prisoner at the corner of 3rd Street and 19th Street. The detectives had arrested the man a few blocks away and were walking him to jail when the suspect suddenly began fighting with the two. During the initial arrest one of the detectives had taken a revolver from the man and placed it in his pocket. As the suspect struggled with the detectives he reached inside the pocket and retrieved the revolver. He fired a shot that passed through one of the detective's knee and struck Chief Wallace in the chest just as the chief came to their assistance. Chief Wallace was taken to Elizabeth Duncan Hospital where he died three days later. Before he died he made a statement saying the shooting was an accident. No charges were filed. Chief Wallace had served with the agency for 26 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children and is buried in Clay Memorial Cemetery in Cuba.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-5BFDA304
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

26 years. You could have gone home.
Chief of Police Wallace gave the Bessemer Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Bessemer community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Wallace.

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

Agency

Department Bessemer Police Dept.

Location Bessemer, AL

Platform Identity besspd.jefferson.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 29, 1916

Tour of Duty 26 yrs

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .44 caliber

Offender Apprehended and released

Chief of Police Thomas Benjamin "Ben" Wallace 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 Bessemer Police Dept., 10 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Bessemer Police Dept.

of 10 officers

100% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious