William Levan

Reading Police Department — Reading, PA

Cardiac

End of Watch February 27, 1868

Age 60

The Vigil Panel 3 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Patrolman William Levan suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after being kicked in the abdomen by a suspect who had been arrested for being drunk in public. The suspect had been found laying in a gutter by another patrolman and was being walked to jail when Patrolman Levan came to assist the officer.

The suspect began to struggle near the intersection of Ninth Street and Muhlenburg Street. The other officer threw the man to the ground as Patrolman Levan assisted. The man began to kick at both officers and struck Patrolman Levan in the abdomen.

After subduing the prisoner, Patrolman Levan asked a citizen to help take the prisoner to the jail because he began to feel ill. When they arrived at the jail Patrolman Levan went to the chief's office to tell him of the incident. He collapsed as he told the chief he had been kicked in the abdomen.

Patrolman Levan was survived by his wife and several grown children.

Survivors

Patrolman Levan was survived by his wife and several grown children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-D5F2CEB7
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew William. 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

158 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Levan served with the Reading Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Reading community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Reading Police Department

Location Reading, PA

Platform Identity rpd.berks.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 27, 1868

Age 60

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Patrolman William Levan is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 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 5.4 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

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.

Reading Police Department

of 9 officers

22.2% Cardiac

PA — Statewide

118

of 1,261 officers

9.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac