Lauretha Arnetha Vaird
Agency patch
Police Officer

Lauretha Arnetha Vaird

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch January 2, 1996
Age 43
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
Badge 5897
Gender Female

Incident

Police Officer Lauretha Vaird was shot and killed while responding to a bank robbery in the 4700 block of Rising Sun Avenue. She was the first officer to arrive at the scene and was shot as she entered the bank. Two suspects were arrested a short time later. A third suspect was arrested several days later during a traffic stop in Maryland. On November 1st, 1996, the subject who shot Officer Vaird was sentenced to death. Officer Vaird had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for nine years and was assigned to the 25th District.

Survivors

She is survived by her two sons.

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 Vaird gave the Philadelphia Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Vaird.

— 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 2, 1996
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
Age 43
Badge Number 5897
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Lauretha 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 1996, 79 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 86th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Lauretha was 43. 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. Lauretha had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where she 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%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

Her people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Lauretha Arnetha Vaird

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch January 2, 1996

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 15-E

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