George L. Williams
Agency patch
Detective

George L. Williams

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch January 9, 1918
Age 44
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Detective George Williams was shot and killed in a gun battle with five men at 16th Street and South Street. Detective Williams, the city’s only black detective, came upon a fracas in a bar and was trying to arrest the men when one opened fire on him. Detective Williams had been a star of the Cuban Giants of the Negro Baseball League. He was the first black officer killed in the line of duty. The principal killer in this case, a 22-year-year old male was executed for the crime on November 1st, 1920. Detective Williams had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 25 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

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

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

— 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 January 9, 1918
Tour of Duty 25 yrs
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

George 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 1918, 165 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 19th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

George was 44. 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. George 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

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective George L. Williams

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch January 9, 1918

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 3-W

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