William R. Capers

New York City Police Department — New York, NY

Accident

End of Watch April 3, 1972

Age 51

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Badge 945

The Vigil Panel 110 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 1,221

Incident

William R. Capers was appointed to the New York City Police Department on 1 January 1953. In 1971, while off duty in a Queens supermarket, he confronted three men who announced a holdup. He exchanged gunfire with the robbers, killing one and helping to arrest the other two, an act for which he was later awarded the Police Combat Cross.

On 3 April 1972, Detective Capers, a 19-year veteran assigned to the Queens Burglary-Larceny Squad, was working in plainclothes with his partner, Det. Raymond Godley, near Jamaica Avenue in the 103 Precinct. The two had just arrested three men in a parking lot for possession of a gun and stolen goods when one of them broke away and ran onto Jamaica Avenue. Detective Godley held the other two while Detective Capers gave chase. He caught the man in the vestibule of a shoe store and was struggling with him, gun in hand, when a uniformed officer on traffic duty nearby arrived. The officer did not know Detective Capers and, seeing a gun but no shield, fired a single shot that fatally wounded him.

His death led the department to begin the "Color of the Day" program, under which officers not in uniform wear a headband in a daily color that responding uniformed officers can recognize.

Detective Capers was 51 years old. He was survived by his wife and son. His Combat Cross was awarded posthumously on Medal Day, 30 June 1972. On 23 June 1989 a plaque honoring six fallen members of the service, including Detective Capers, was installed at the 103 Precinct, and in May 2001 the precinct included him on its new Wall of Heroes.

Survivors

Detective Capers served with the New York City Police Department for 19 years and was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Capers gave the New York City Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Capers.

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

Agency

Department New York City Police Department

Type Police Department

Location New York, NY

Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 3, 1972

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Age 51

Badge Number 945

Gender Male

Assignment Queens Burglary-Larceny Squad

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

William is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1972, 85 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 19th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States

Who

William was 51. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. William had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.