Alphonse H. Kemper
Agency patch
Sergeant

Alphonse H. Kemper

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch October 10, 1945
Age 43
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
The Vigil Panel 81 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Kemper was shot and killed when he interrupted a robbery at a local paint store at 5707 Michigan Avenue. Sergeant Kemper, still in uniform, was on his way home when he walked into Frazier Paint Company at 4:20 p.m. as the robbery was taking place. The store owner attempted to warn the officer but the suspects opened fire, seriously wounding him. He managed to return fire killing one suspect. He died of his wounds 8 days later. The second suspect was arrested and sentenced to life in prison.

Survivors

Sergeant Kemper had served with the Detroit Police Department for 21 years and was survived by his wife.

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

21 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Kemper gave the Detroit Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Kemper.

— 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 October 10, 1945
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Alphonse is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1945, 68 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 105th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Alphonse was 43. 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. Alphonse had served 21 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant Alphonse H. Kemper

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch October 10, 1945

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 30-E

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