Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Herman Radel and Patrolman Fred Pauley were killed in an automobile crash. Both patrolmen, along with a third officer, were on patrol in Delaware Park. They were driving on westbound on Delaware Park Boulevard (modern-day Scajaquda Expressway), approaching Delaware Avenue, when their patrol vehicle struck a depression in the road. This propelled the vehicle forward, taking it downhill. The vehicle gained speed until it struck a tree, bounced off that tree, struck a second tree and overturned. Patrolman Radel was thrown from the police vehicle when it struck the first tree. After being ejected from the police vehicle Patrolman Radel somehow struck the trunk of the car and suffered a fatal skull fracture. Patrolman Pauley was also thrown from the Ford touring car. He died of massive injuries suffered when he struck the second tree the vehicle had hit. The third officer was found trapped under the wreckage with minor injuries. Patrolman Radel had served with the Buffalo Police Department for 8 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and eight children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-4CE2E891- 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.
Patrolman Radel gave the Buffalo Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Radel.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Herman A. Radel is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Buffalo Police Department, 26 of 51 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 51% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Herman A. Radel's cause is highlighted.
How Herman A. Radel Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Herman A. Radel is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
50 officers from Buffalo Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
