Wayne W. Nelson
Agency patch
Police Officer

Wayne W. Nelson

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Accident
End of Watch September 1, 1935
Age 37
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 70 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Nelson was struck and killed by a vehicle while investigating a previous accident at West Warren Avenue and Greenfield Road. Officer Nelson was talking to the driver of another car when a third car struck that car and his patrol car. The female driver was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Survivors

Officer Nelson had served with the Detroit Police Department for 11 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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Nelson gave the Detroit Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Nelson.

— 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 September 1, 1935
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Wayne is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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 1935, 99 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 8th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Wayne was 37. 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. Wayne had served 11 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.2% 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, Wayne among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Wayne W. Nelson

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch September 1, 1935

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 40-E

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