William W. Spencer

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI

Felonious

End of Watch August 5, 1929

Age 29

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 57 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 249

Incident

Officer Spencer succumbed to gunshot wounds received two days earlier when he and his partner responded to a street brawl at Larned Street and Hastings Street in Detroit's Central District. One of the brawler's opened fire with a .45-caliber revolver, striking Officer Spencer in the leg, wrist, and stomach. Both Officer Spencer and his partner returned fire but the suspect was only struck once in the finger. The suspect was apprehended the following year and was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled on November 1, 1947. Officer Spencer had received a Citation of Merit only two weeks before his murder for his role in stopping an armed robbery.

Survivors

He had been with the agency for six years and was survived by his wife, siblings, and parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-8A6E73B9
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.
Police Officer Spencer gave the Detroit Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Spencer.

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

Agency

Department Detroit Police Department

Location Detroit, MI

Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 5, 1929

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .45 caliber

Offender Pardoned in 1947

Police Officer William W. Spencer 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 Detroit Police Department, 177 of 250 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.8% of this agency's fallen.

Detroit Police Department

177

of 250 officers

70.8% Felonious

MI — Statewide

426

of 718 officers

59.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious