Police Officer

Eugene J. Chavis

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch May 20, 1944
Age 65
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Badge 2140
The Vigil Panel 80 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Chavis was struck by a stolen hit-run truck at 43rd Street and Woodland Avenue. He was wedged under a trolley car and fellow officers pulled him out. He later died in the Philadelphia General Hospital.

Officer Chavis was only days from retirement when he was struck. He was a 23-year veteran of the force. A suspect was arrested.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

23 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Chavis gave the Philadelphia Police Department 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Chavis.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 20, 1944
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Age 65
Badge Number 2140
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 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 1944, 59 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 129th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Eugene was 65. 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. Eugene had served 23 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 automobile, in 4.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Eugene among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Eugene J. Chavis

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch May 20, 1944

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 5-E

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