Roll of Honor
Paul James Walters
Incident
Corporal Paul Walters was struck and killed by a vehicle while crossing a street during a snowstorm. He was walking three teenagers back to his patrol car after arresting them for throwing snowballs at passing tractor-trailers. Corporal Walters and his partner were dispatched to the area where the boys were reportedly throwing snowballs at traffic. The weather was poor that night; heavy snow was falling, and road conditions were poor. Corporal Walters was dropped off near where the subjects were reported to have been seen so he could approach them on foot. His partner double-backed in the patrol car so he could approach the location from the opposite direction. Corporal Walters was able to catch the boys in the act, and he placed them under arrest. He then attempted to walk the boys back to where the patrol car was parked. Unfortunately, the heavy snow made for treacherous conditions on the Carlisle Pike; driver visibility was low, and the plowed snow banks provided barely enough room for vehicles to pass through the two traffic lanes. In an effort to protect the boys in his custody, Corporal Walters walked behind them, on the edge of the left lane, and used his flashlight to wave approaching vehicles into the right lane and away from the teens. One of the vehicles approaching in the left lane was a large truck whose driver saw Corporal Walters’ directions and was able to make a lane change in time to avoid the officer. However, a sedan was following closely behind the truck. This vehicle’s driver did not see Corporal Walters until the truck changed lanes, which was too late to avoid a collision. Corporal Walters was struck. Though he was rushed to the emergency room, he succumbed to his injuries. Corporal Walters was a United States Air Force Vietnam War veteran and had served with the Silver Spring Township Police Department for three years. He was survived by his three children, parents, and sister. He was posthumously promoted to Corporal.
Survivors
He was survived by his three children, parents, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-660D6FE2- 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.
Corporal Walters gave the Silver Spring Township Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Mechanicsburg 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Paul James Walters served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Corporal Paul James Walters 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 PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Paul James Walters's cause is highlighted.
How Paul James Walters Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Paul James Walters is highlighted in Jan.