William J. Kelleher
Agency patch
Sergeant

William J. Kelleher

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Accident
End of Watch May 15, 1974
Age 32
Tour of Duty 8 yrs 3 mo
Badge 418
The Vigil Panel 113 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant William Kelleher was killed when his motorcycle collided with a city sanitation truck at State Road and Ashburner Street. He was on his way to the Police Academy with forms he had picked up at police headquarters for a class he was teaching. He later died at Nazareth Hospital. Sergeant Kelleher served with the Philadelphia Police Department for more than eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three 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.
Sergeant Kelleher gave the Philadelphia Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Kelleher.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 15, 1974
Tour of Duty 8 yrs 3 mo
Age 32
Badge Number 418
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

William 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 1974, 98 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 9th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 32. 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. William had served 8.2 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%. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

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

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant William J. Kelleher

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch May 15, 1974

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 32-W

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