William Amslom Baber, Sr.

Decatur Police Department — Decatur, AL

Felonious

End of Watch July 2, 1905

Age 41

The Vigil Panel 20 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Officer Billie Baber was shot and killed while assisting another officer search for a man who had just fled during an arrest.

The other officer had placed two men under arrest for fighting in front of a hotel on Lafayette Street. As he searched one of the men the other fled on foot. The officer called for Officer Baber to help take the man into custody. As they approached him the subject opened fire with a Colt revolver, killing Officer Baber.

The suspect was apprehended four days later in Winchester, Tennessee. On September 28, 1906, he escaped from the Morgan County Jail and was never seen again.

Officer Baber was survived by his wife and four children. On November 20th, 1932, one of his sons was murdered within 20 feet of where he was murdered.

Officer Baber is buried in Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery in Dallas, Georgia.

Survivors

Officer Baber was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-B6F0087D
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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Baber served with the Decatur Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Decatur community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Baber.

— 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 July 2, 1905

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Never apprehended

Officer William Amslom Baber, Sr. 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