Richard Herman Diamond
Agency patch
Police Officer

Richard Herman Diamond

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Accident
End of Watch August 18, 1917
Age 25
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 76 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Richard Diamond was accidentally shot and killed by another officer while on duty. On his first day on the beat, Officer Diamond and his cadet-officer partner met two men near Franklin and McDougall Streets who pointed out three men nearby, claiming they were armed. As the officers approached the three men to investigate, the men fled and gunfire was exchanged. Officer Diamond's partner had told him to take cover as he pursued, but Diamond joined the chase. At one point, his partner turned and fired at him, believing he was another suspect and likely killed him. The cadet-officer was fired, but not charged in the death of Officer Diamond.

Survivors

Officer Diamond was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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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 Diamond served with the Detroit Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Diamond.

— 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 August 18, 1917
Tour of Duty
Age 25
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Richard is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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 1917, 41 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 107th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Richard was 25. 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. Richard had served 0 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

August holds 9.5% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Saturdays: 14.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Richard Herman Diamond

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch August 18, 1917

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 32-E

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