Maxwell Badgley

Newark Police Division — Newark, NJ

Felonious

End of Watch October 23, 1854

Age 50

The Vigil Panel 2 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 57

Incident

Police Officer Badgely was stabbed to death by a prisoner who was attempting to escape custody on Warren and Wilsey Streets (current-day Sylvia Jackson Way). Officer Badgely and two other officers were escorting four prisoners to the jail following a hearing before a judge where they were reprimanded to serve time. The prisoners were handcuffed in pairs, the left wrist of one prisoner to the right wrist of another prisoner. As Officer Badgely turned a corner near the jail with the first pair of prisoners and out of sight of the other two officers, Officer Badgely yelled for help. As the other two officers rushed to his aid, they found that he had been stabbed in the chest. Although both prisoners attempted to flee the scene, one of them fell, preventing the pair from making their escape. Officer Badgely identified the prisoner who stabbed him just before he died. A six-inch spring dirk knife was recovered at the scene of the stabbing. The suspect had been sentenced to four days for intoxication when he was unable to pay the fine. But for killing Officer Badgely, he was convicted of manslaughter.

Survivors

Officer Badgely was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-2FCB2AA5
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

172 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Badgley served with the Newark Police Division.
Thank you for your service to the Newark community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Newark Police Division

Location Newark, NJ

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

Service Record

End of Watch October 23, 1854

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Edged weapon; Spring dirk

Offender Not available

Police Officer Maxwell Badgley 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 Newark Police Division, 28 of 58 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.

Newark Police Division

of 58 officers

48.3% Felonious

NJ — Statewide

264

of 646 officers

40.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious