Avery E. Freeman
Agency patch
Patrolman

Avery E. Freeman

Illness
End of Watch April 30, 2012
Age 49
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 161 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Avery Freeman succumbed to complications of a surgery required after injuring his knee while on duty.

On March 31, 2012, he and another officer had arrested a female subject at the scene of a domestic disturbance. As Patrolman Freeman walked back to his patrol car he slipped on wet, moss-covered bricks and fell, injuring both knees. The injuries were severe enough that surgery was required. As he recovered from the surgery at the Taylor Rehabilitation Center he suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism.

Patrolman Freeman had served in law enforcement for 17 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his four children, mother, and siblings.

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.
Patrolman Freeman gave the Chester City Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chester community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Freeman.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chester, Delaware County, PA
Platform Identity cpd.delaware.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 30, 2012
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 49
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail Duty related illness

The Sacrifice · Illness

Avery is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 2012, 17 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 21st heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Avery was 49. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Avery had served 17 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

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

When

April holds 6.9% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Mondays: 14.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Chester City Police Department has 17 officers remembered here, Avery among them.

VI

Where

Patrolman Avery E. Freeman

Chester City Police Department · End of Watch April 30, 2012

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 43-E

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