William F. Wollborg
Agency patch
Police Officer

William F. Wollborg

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch August 5, 1920
Age 26
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Badge 761
The Vigil Panel 39 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Wollborg was shot and killed after being abducted while on duty. He and another officer had conducted a raid at a home on Leland Street. Officer Wollborg left the scene to use a police call box when he was ambushed at the intersection of St. Joseph Street and Dubois Street. His bullet-ridden body was thrown from a vehicle a short time later. The suspect was apprehended. It is believed Officer Wollborg was killed in retaliation for his testimony in a trial the previous day. On June 7, 1921, the 40-year-old suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled in 1931.

Survivors

Officer Wollborg had served with the Detroit Police Department for two years and was survived by his wife and two children.

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 Wollborg gave the Detroit Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Wollborg.

— 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 August 5, 1920
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 26
Badge Number 761
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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 1920, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 26. 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. William had served 2 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%. Thursdays: 14%.

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

Detroit Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer William F. Wollborg

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch August 5, 1920

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-W

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