William J. McGuirk

Essex County Sheriff's Office — Newark, NJ

Felonious

End of Watch June 9, 1981

Age 59

Tour of Duty 26 yrs

The Vigil Panel 124 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy Chief McGuirk was shot and killed when two men attempted to carjack him in the parking lot of his apartment building at 158 High Street, in Orange. When Chief McGuirk attempted to arrest the suspects, one drew a .38-caliber revolver and shot him three times. Both suspects, ages 20 and 17, were arrested and charged with murder. The 20-year-old suspect, who shot Deputy Chief McGuirk, was convicted of his murder and sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison. He was paroled on September 12th, 1998. Deputy Chief McGuirk has served with the Essex County Sheriff's Department for 26 years.

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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

26 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy Chief McGuirk gave the Essex County Sheriff's Office 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Newark community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Chief McGuirk.

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

Agency

Department Essex County Sheriff's Office

Location Newark, NJ

Platform Identity ecso.essex.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 9, 1981

Tour of Duty 26 yrs

Age 59

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Paroled in 1998

Deputy Chief William J. McGuirk 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Essex County Sheriff's Office, 4 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Essex County Sheriff's Office

of 4 officers

100% Felonious

NJ — Statewide

264

of 646 officers

40.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious