George C. Slavens

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department — Baltimore, MD

Felonious

End of Watch April 30, 1919

Age 28

The Vigil Panel 37 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 21

Incident

Location: Ohio Weapon: Handgun Offender: Shot and killed in 1923

Railroad Detective George Slavens was shot and killed while attempting to arrest three hobos who were trespassing on a train in Midland, Ohio.

He had been notified by telegraph that the three men were riding a freight train from Columbus to Cincinnati. One of the men shot him as he attempted to arrest them when the train stopped at the Midland City Junction. The three men fled the scene but were arrested on farmland near Blanchester.

The man who shot him pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison. On September 10, 1923, he escaped with three others from the Ohio Penitentiary. Later that day he was shot and killed by a U.S. Marshal in Columbus.

Detective Slavens was a widower who's wife died only 11 months earlier.

Survivors

He was survived by two small children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-RR-85951671
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.
Railroad Detective Slavens served with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Railroad Detective Slavens.

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

Agency

Department Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department

Location Baltimore, MD

Platform Identity borpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 30, 1919

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Handgun

Offender Shot and killed in 1923

Railroad Detective George C. Slavens 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 MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department, 13 of 22 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.1% of this agency's fallen.

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Police Department

of 22 officers

59.1% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious