Police Officer

William Cooke

Salt Lake City Police Department — Salt Lake City, UT
Felonious
End of Watch October 18, 1858
Age 55
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
The Vigil Panel 2 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Cooke was shot and killed while working as the night jailer at the Salt Lake City Jail. During his shift two men entered the jail and demanded the release of a prisoner. When Officer Cooke attempted to stop them he was shot in the leg. He succumbed to his wound several days later. The suspect was later shot and killed in Wyoming.

Survivors

Officer Cooke had been with the agency for one year and was survived by his wife and children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

168 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Cooke gave the Salt Lake City Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Salt Lake City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, UT
Platform Identity slpd.saltlake.ut.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 18, 1858
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 55
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1858, 16 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 163rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 55. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. William had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Salt Lake City Police Department has 23 officers remembered here, William among them.

Police Officer William Cooke

Salt Lake City Police Department · End of Watch October 18, 1858

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 38-E

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