Frank Powley

Pontiac Police Department — Pontiac, MI

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 7, 1926

Age 27

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

The Vigil Panel 51 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Police Officer Frank Powley was shot and killed by a prisoner escaping from the Pontiac Police headquarters. He and another man had just been arrested by another officer. The officer walked them to the police headquarters without searching them or handcuffing them. As they approached the booking desk one of the men drew a concealed gun and shot Officer Powley in the abdomen, mortally wounding him. Officer Powley succumbed to his wounds two days later. The 22-year-old subject was sentenced to life at hard labor. He was paroled in 1945. Officer Powley was a WWI veteran and had served with the Pontiac Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-1A79F85A
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.
Police Officer Powley gave the Pontiac Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Pontiac 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 Pontiac Police Department

Location Pontiac, MI

Platform Identity ppd.oakland.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 7, 1926

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Paroled in 1945

Military Service

Frank Powley served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Frank Powley 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 MI, 426 of 718 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.3% of this state's fallen. That is 5.1 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Pontiac Police Department, 2 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.

Pontiac Police Department

of 7 officers

28.6% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious