William T. Kohler
Agency patch
Police Officer

William T. Kohler

Oakland Police Department — Oakland, CA
Felonious
End of Watch July 4, 1931
Age 50
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer William Kohler was shot and killed while investigating a call from two utility workers. The two men had told the officer they had seen several broken slot machines nearby in a lot near Mountain Boulevard and Shone Avenue. When Officer Kohler went to the scene he found two juveniles shooting at tin cans. As he approached, the suspects opened fire, striking him several times. The suspects then drove over his body as they fled. The gun the suspects used had been stolen from an officer they had shot and wounded in Alameda County one week earlier. That officer's life was saved when a bullet deflected off his badge. The suspects were arrested a few days later in Beaver, Utah, when they were caught attempting to steal a car. Both suspects were convicted of first-degree murder on September 18th, 1931, and sentenced to life in San Quentin Prison. One was paroled on September 24th, 1943. Officer Kohler had served with the Oakland Police Department for 25 years.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

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Tributes

25 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Kohler gave the Oakland Police Department 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Oakland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Kohler.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Oakland, Alameda County, CA
Platform Identity opd.alameda.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 4, 1931
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 1931, 221 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 5th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 50. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. William had served 25 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%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Oakland Police Department has 54 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer William T. Kohler

Oakland Police Department · End of Watch July 4, 1931

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 45-E

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