Thomas Michael Phillips
Agency patch
Police Officer

Thomas Michael Phillips

New Orleans Police Department — New Orleans, LA
Felonious
End of Watch August 28, 1987
Age 35
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
The Vigil Panel 293 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Thomas Phillips was struck and killed by a hit-and-run taxi cab while conducting a traffic stop of a suspected drunk driver on the Pontchartrain Expressway in the downtown area. The drunk driver had stopped in the middle of the three-lane highway. Officer Phillips was struck by the taxi as he approached the vehicle. The cab driver was arrested several days later and charged with homicide, but the charges were later dropped. Officer Phillips had served with the New Orleans Police Department for 12 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his daughter and son.

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 Phillips gave the New Orleans Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the New Orleans community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Phillips.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location New Orleans, Orleans Parish, LA
Platform Identity nopd.orleans.la.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 28, 1987
Tour of Duty 12 yrs
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

Time

In 1987, 97 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 55th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 35. 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. Thomas had served 12 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

August holds 8.9% 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 automobile, in 4.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New Orleans Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Thomas Michael Phillips

New Orleans Police Department · End of Watch August 28, 1987

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 43-W

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