John Franklin Harmann
Agency patch
Officer

John Franklin Harmann

Norfolk Police Department — Norfolk, VA
Felonious
End of Watch March 29, 1938
Age 35
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 74 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer John Harmann was shot and killed while attempting to question a man in the 200 block of Bank Street near police headquarters at 11:15 pm. When Officer Harmann asked the man what was in his bag, the man pulled out a handgun and fatally shot him. The suspect, 35, was arrested the following day and charged with Officer Harmann's murder. Officer Harmann had served with the Norfolk Police Department for 11 years.

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

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

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Norfolk, VA
Platform Identity npd.norfolk.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 29, 1938
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1938, 111 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 45th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 35. 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. John 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

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Norfolk Police Department has 39 officers remembered here, John among them.

VI

Where

Officer John Franklin Harmann

Norfolk Police Department · End of Watch March 29, 1938

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-W

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