John Joseph Hartenstein
Agency patch
Police Officer

John Joseph Hartenstein

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Accident
End of Watch May 4, 1967
Age 38
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 102 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer John Hartenstein was killed when his patrol car was struck head-on by another vehicle on West Fort Street near Distel Street. Officer Hartenstein had served with the Detroit Police Department for 12 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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 Hartenstein gave the Detroit Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Hartenstein.

— 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 May 4, 1967
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

John is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1967, 73 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 38th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 38. 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. John had served 12 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 8.6% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Thursdays: 14%.

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, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer John Joseph Hartenstein

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch May 4, 1967

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 1-W

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