William L. Copeland

Little Rock Police Department — Little Rock, AR

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch December 31, 1885

Age 40

The Vigil Panel 8 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice 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: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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

Location Little Rock, 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

Offender Convicted of murder

Military Service

William L. Copeland served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer William L. Copeland 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 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 12.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

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

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious