Phelin McDonough

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch February 18, 1925

Age 35

Tour of Duty 6 mo

Badge 1751

The Vigil Panel 48 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 249

Incident

Police Officer Phelim McDonough was shot and killed while responding to a robbery in progress at Brownie's Drug Store at 16137 Twelfth Street. He was fatally wounded when he exchanged shots with three suspects as he arrived at the scene. One of the suspects was wounded. The suspect who murdered Officer McDonough was shot and killed ten days later by a Detroit policeman during another drug store hold-up. Officer McDonough was a WWI veteran and was a POW for 18 months during the war. He had served with the Detroit Police Department for only 6 months at the time of his death.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MI-D5771F55
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 McDonough served with the Detroit Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit 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 Detroit Police Department

Location Detroit, MI

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

Service Record

End of Watch February 18, 1925

Tour of Duty 6 mo

Age 35

Badge Number 1751

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed in another robbery

Military Service

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

Police Officer Phelin McDonough 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