Earl J. Kobinski
Agency patch
Police Officer

Earl J. Kobinski

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch July 9, 1926
Age 40
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Badge 1523
The Vigil Panel 51 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Kobinski was shot and killed while he and his partner attempted to stop four young bank robbery suspects at Hubbell and Eaton avenues. The men were fleeing a robbery they had just committed at the People's State Bank in the City of Plymouth. The men opened fire when they encountered the officers and Officer Kobinski was shot in the head. One of the suspects, a 15-year-old youth, was killed in the return gunfire. The other three, ages 16, 18, and 22, were apprehended, convicted of first degree murder, and sentenced to life. All three were released in 1948 when a judge ruled they should have been convicted of second degree murder. A year later the youngest of the three was shot and critically wounded by a 15-year-old store clerk when he attempted to rob a drug store in Detroit. Officer Kobinski had served with the Detroit Police Department for 4 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.
Police Officer Kobinski gave the Detroit Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Kobinski.

— 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 July 9, 1926
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 40
Badge Number 1523
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Earl 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 1926, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Earl was 40. 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. Earl had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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, Earl among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Earl J. Kobinski

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch July 9, 1926

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 26-E

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