Roll of Honor
Incident
Chief of Police Abner Sturdivant succumbed to injuries sustained on July 4th, 1935, when the driver of a vehicle intentionally struck a utility pole.
He and the assistant chief had arrested five men who were in a stolen vehicle. The officers instructed the driver to proceed to the jail as they rode on the vehicle's running boards. As the vehicle neared the jail the driver intentionally served into a telephone pole. Chief Sturdivant was thrown below the vehicle, which ran him over as the driver fled.
Two of the men were arrested a short time later.
Chief Sturdivant was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on July 10th, 1935.
Chief Sturdivant was survived by his wife, daughter, two brothers, and two sisters. One of his brothers served as the police chief of the Atlanta Police Department and his other brother served as a police officer with the Atlanta Joint Terminals.
Survivors
Chief Sturdivant was survived by his wife, daughter, two brothers, and two sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-GA-06729D41- 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.
Chief of Police Sturdivant served with the Washington Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Sturdivant.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Chief of Police Henry Abner Sturdivant 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 GA, 548 of 903 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.7% of this state's fallen. That is 6.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Washington Police Dept., 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Henry Abner Sturdivant's cause is highlighted.
How Henry Abner Sturdivant Compares
Offender Outcome
Arrested
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry Abner Sturdivant is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Henry Abner Sturdivant was killed by automobile.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Washington Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.
