Roll of Honor

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Chief

Henry E. Hand

Montgomery Borough Police Department — Montgomery, PA

Felonious

End of Watch December 13, 1938

Age 36

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 75 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Chief of Police Henry Hand was shot and killed in an unprovoked attack while walking on Houston Avenue at approximately 10:30 am. The suspect, who held a grudge against police officers, walked up to Chief Hand and opened fire on him with a shotgun without warning, shooting him twice. The suspect, 34, was arrested and confessed to shooting Chief Hand. His signed written statement ending with "justice has been done". On June 16, 1939, he entered a plea of guilty of murder. Chief Hand had served with the Montgomery Borough Police Department for three years and had previously served with the Pennsylvania State Highway Patrol.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-E029B223
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Chief Hand gave the Montgomery Borough Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Montgomery community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief Hand.

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

Agency

Department Montgomery Borough Police Department

Location Montgomery, PA

Platform Identity mbpd.lycoming.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 13, 1938

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Convicted of murder

Chief Henry E. Hand 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%.

Montgomery Borough Police Department

of 1 officers

100% 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. Henry E. Hand'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 Henry E. Hand Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Convicted of murder

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Henry E. Hand is highlighted in Dec.

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. Henry E. Hand was killed by shotgun.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518