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Detective

William Francis Mertz

Bloomfield Police Department — Bloomfield, NJ

Felonious

End of Watch December 18, 1915

The Vigil Panel 30 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Detective William Mertz and Detective Robert Shannon, of the East Orange Police Department, were shot and killed while they and two other officers attempted to arrest a murder suspect. The other two officers were wounded. Detective Mertz succumbed to his wounds three days after the shooting. The 57-year-old suspect was apprehended in Newburg, New York, on August 27, 1916. Two months later he was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to death. His sentence was later commuted to life.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-7F3572B2
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.
Detective Mertz served with the Bloomfield Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Bloomfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Mertz.

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

Agency

Department Bloomfield Police Department

Location Bloomfield, NJ

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

Service Record

End of Watch December 18, 1915

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Sentence commuted to life

Detective William Francis Mertz 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 Bloomfield Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Bloomfield Police Department

of 2 officers

50% Felonious

NJ — Statewide

264

of 646 officers

40.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Francis Mertz's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How William Francis Mertz Compares

Offender Outcome

Sentence commuted to life

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Francis Mertz is highlighted in Dec.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Francis Mertz was killed by handgun; revolver.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Bloomfield Police Department are honored on badge.nw.