William Lamar Polk, Sr.

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division — Washington, DC

Cardiac

End of Watch June 28, 1953

Age 47

The Vigil Panel 89 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 14

Incident

Investigator Bill Polk suffered a fatal heart attack while raiding a still in Holmes County, Mississippi, with three other agents. He and another agent were dropped off to walk through the woods towards the still while the other two agents drove up to the farmhouse. When the agents arrived at the farmhouse they arrested one suspect. When Investigator Polk arrived at the farmhouse on foot he complained of chest pains. He was immediately taken to a local doctor's office in Lexington where he passed away. His body was returned to Jackson, Mississippi, for burial.

Survivors

Investigator Polk was survived by his wife, son, two daughters, mother, three brothers, and five sisters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FED-BDDFEEBA
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.
Investigator Polk served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Investigator Polk.

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

Agency

Department United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division

Location Washington, DC

Platform Identity usdtirsattdfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 28, 1953

Age 47

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Investigator William Lamar Polk, Sr. is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In DC, 71 of 1,419 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division, 5 of 15 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

United States Department of the Treasury - Internal Revenue Service - Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division

of 15 officers

33.3% Cardiac

DC — Statewide

of 1,419 officers

5% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac