Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Thomas Kintzer suffered a fatal heart attack while arresting an intoxicated subject who assaulted him on Schuylkill Avenue near Windsor Street.
While off duty, Patrolman Kintzer was walking to a store near his home when he was unexpectedly assaulted and pushed against a tree striking his head. As he was on top of the subject and attempted to tell a bystander to grab his keys for the call box to call for help he suffered a fatal heart attack. The subject managed to push Patrolman Kintzer off of him and walked away from the scene where he was arrested a couple blocks away several minutes later.
The subject was arrested and charged with manslaughter but acquitted by a coroner's jury the following week. The coroner's jury exonerated the subject stating that Patrolman Kinzter was not physically fit enough to perform his duties as a police officer and ordered the Reading Police Department to perform periodical physical examinations on their officers.
Patrolman Kintzer served with the Reading Police Department for more than 12 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-091EEAF1- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Thomas. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Kintzer gave the Reading Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Reading community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Kintzer.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Thomas Henry Kintzer is one of 1 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In PA, 118 of 1,261 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.4% of this state's fallen. That is 9.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Reading Police Department, 2 of 9 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 22.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Henry Kintzer's cause is highlighted.
How Thomas Henry Kintzer Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Henry Kintzer is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Reading Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
