Probationary Police Officer

James M. Griffin

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch March 21, 1913
Age 28
The Vigil Panel 27 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Probationary Police Officer James Griffin succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained a week earlier while interviewing a man off-duty near the intersection of Jones Street and Grand River Avenue. Officer Griffin was on his way home when he witnessed a man he thought was acting disorderly in an alleyway. As he was questioning the man he was shot in his stomach by an unknown assailant from behind a wall that bordered a restaurant. Officer Griffin was taken to St. Mary's Hospital where he succumbed to his gunshot wound a week later.

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

— 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 March 21, 1913
Age 28
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Not available

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1913, 133 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 33rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 28. 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.

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

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 not available, in 0.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Probationary Police Officer James M. Griffin

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch March 21, 1913

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 32-E

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