Police Officer

Herman M. Jolly

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Accident
End of Watch November 8, 1925
Age 23
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Badge 1895
The Vigil Panel 115 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Jolly was accidentally shot and killed while attempting to question a man standing on the corner of Orleans Street and Illinois Street. He and his partner stopped their patrol car and as Officer Jolly attempted to get out of the car he knocked over one of two shotguns leaning against the front seat. When the shotgun fell, it discharged and the blast struck Officer Jolly in the head. His partner transported him to Receiving Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Survivors

Officer Jolly was survived by his two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
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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

You barely got started.
Police Officer Jolly gave the Detroit Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Jolly.

— 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 November 8, 1925
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 23
Badge Number 1895
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Herman 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1925, 88 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 16th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Herman was 23. 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. Herman had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

November holds 8.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Sundays: 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, Herman among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Herman M. Jolly

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch November 8, 1925

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 38-E

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