Donald W. Coulter
Agency patch
Police Officer

Donald W. Coulter

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch January 11, 1958
Age 38
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Badge 203
The Vigil Panel 93 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Coulter was shot and killed when he interrupted a robbery at Prince Royal Bar at 3057 Gratiot Ave. Officer Coulter, who was in plainclothes, entered the bar and was confronted by four suspects, three men and a woman. They took his wallet and then, thinking he was the bar owner, ordered him to open the safe. When he told them he could not open it they shot him with a shotgun. Two of the suspects were captured 30 minutes later. The other two were captured the next day in Forrest City, Arkansas. The suspect who killed Officer Coulter was convicted of first-degree murder and armed robbery and sentenced to life plus 30 years in prison on May 8, 1958. He died in prison on August 15, 1994. Officer Coulter had served with the Detroit Police Department for 11 years.

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

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Coulter gave the Detroit Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Coulter.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 11, 1958
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 38
Badge Number 203
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Donald 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 1958, 63 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 119th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Donald was 38. 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. Donald had served 11 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January 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 shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Donald among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Donald W. Coulter

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch January 11, 1958

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-E

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