Gerard W. Traynor

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Cardiac

End of Watch June 21, 1987

Age 41

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

The Vigil Panel 132 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 377

Incident

Detective Gerard Traynor suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after running to help another officer who was struggling with a prisoner who was attempting to escape.

Detective Traynor was on duty in the Northwest Detective Division at 5960 N Broad Street when he heard another detective call for help. He ran to the detective's aid and found an escaping prisoner attacking the detective. Detective Traynor pulled the attacker off the other detective and fought with him as they fell to the floor. With the aid of other detectives, they were able to regain control of the prisoner. The following morning Detective Traynor suffered a heart attack and was pronounced dead at 6:25 a.m.

Officer Traynor had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 16 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-F39684E4
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.
Detective Traynor gave the Philadelphia Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Traynor.

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

Agency

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Location Philadelphia, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 21, 1987

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Cause Detail Heart attack

Weapon Person

Detective Gerard W. Traynor 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 Philadelphia Police Department, 37 of 378 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.8% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

of 378 officers

9.8% Cardiac

PA — Statewide

118

of 1,261 officers

9.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac