Thomas A. Welch

Omaha Police Department — Omaha, NE

Felonious

End of Watch August 17, 1866

Age 35

Tour of Duty 5 mo

The Vigil Panel 3 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 24

Incident

Officer Thomas Welch succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained on June 24th, 1866, while attempting to escort a drunk soldier assigned to the Nebraska 1st Regiment from a German beer garden. The beer garden had recently opened approximately two miles south of the city and one mile east of the road to Bellevue. The soldier and his friends were at the beer garden when the man became engaged in a fight with other patrons. Officer Welch and another officer were attempting to break up the fight when the soldier suddenly pulled out a revolver and shot Officer Welch. The man was taken into custody but escaped from the county jail with several other prisoners in July 1866. Officer Welch had served with the Omaha Police Department for only five months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

160 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Welch served with the Omaha Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Omaha community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Omaha Police Department

Location Omaha, NE

Platform Identity opd.douglas.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 17, 1866

Tour of Duty 5 mo

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Escaped custody

Officer Thomas A. Welch 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 NE, 97 of 151 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.2% of this state's fallen. That is 10 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Omaha Police Department, 21 of 25 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 84% of this agency's fallen.

Omaha Police Department

of 25 officers

84% Felonious

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

64.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious