Leo Paul Van Winkle
Agency patch
Police Officer

Leo Paul Van Winkle

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Accident
End of Watch June 27, 1972
Age 44
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Badge 4697
The Vigil Panel 110 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Van Winkle drowned when his police boat capsized during a rescue mission. He was attempting to evacuate residents threatened by the rising waters of the Schuylkill River from Hurricane Agnes. Officer Van Winkle had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 18 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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 Van Winkle gave the Philadelphia Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Van Winkle.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 27, 1972
Tour of Duty 18 yrs
Age 44
Badge Number 4697
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Leo is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1972, 85 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 19th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Leo was 44. 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. Leo had served 18 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

June holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

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

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Leo among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Leo Paul Van Winkle

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch June 27, 1972

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 43-W

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