Walter Henry Hodges
Agency patch
Police Officer

Walter Henry Hodges

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch May 11, 1920
Age 60
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Badge 1423
The Vigil Panel 38 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Hodges died after a baseball player ran into him at the Waterview Recreation Park at Haines Street and McMahon Avenue. Officer Hodges was performing crowd control during the high school baseball game when the player ran into him as he overran first base. Officer Hodges suffered severe internal injuries as a result of the impact and died at Germantown Hospital. Officer Hodges had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 23 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-C14F9090
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

23 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Hodges gave the Philadelphia Police Department 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Hodges.

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

Agency

Location Philadelphia, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 11, 1920
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Age 60
Badge Number 1423
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Police Officer Walter Henry Hodges 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 Philadelphia Police Department, 162 of 378 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department
162
of 378 officers
42.9% Felonious
PA — Statewide
597
of 1,261 officers
47.3% 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. Walter Henry Hodges'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 Walter Henry Hodges Compares

Age at End of Watch
60
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
23
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Walter Henry Hodges is highlighted in May.

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.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518

Incident Location