Francis E. Kowalski

Chester City Police Department — Chester, PA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch December 16, 1929

Age 29

The Vigil Panel 58 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 16

Incident

Patrolman Francis Kowalski was shot and killed after responding to a report of a fight at a restaurant at Third and Flower Streets. The suspect was executed on June 23, 1930.

Survivors

S Army veteran of WWI and was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-4575733E
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Kowalski served with the Chester City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chester community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Chester City Police Department

Location Chester, PA

Platform Identity cpd.delaware.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 16, 1929

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1930

Military Service

Francis E. Kowalski served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman Francis E. Kowalski 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 PA, 597 of 1,261 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.3% of this state's fallen. That is 6.9 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Chester City Police Department, 8 of 17 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.1% of this agency's fallen.

Chester City Police Department

of 17 officers

47.1% Felonious

PA — Statewide

597

of 1,261 officers

47.3% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious