Incident
Detective Gerard Traynor suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after running to help another officer who was struggling with a prisoner who was attempting to escape.
Detective Traynor was on duty in the Northwest Detective Division at 5960 N Broad Street when he heard another detective call for help. He ran to the detective's aid and found an escaping prisoner attacking the detective. Detective Traynor pulled the attacker off the other detective and fought with him as they fell to the floor. With the aid of other detectives, they were able to regain control of the prisoner. The following morning Detective Traynor suffered a heart attack and was pronounced dead at 6:25 a.m.
Officer Traynor had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 16 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtntmt7wkwg59mx1c3224- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- 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.
Detective Traynor gave the Philadelphia Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Traynor.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Cardiac
Philadelphia Police Department has lost 379 officers; 37 of them lost to cardiac events.
Gerard is one of 118 officers lost to cardiac events in PA, 9.4% of the 1,262 remembered there.
Gerard is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Gerard is one of 1,309 officers lost to cardiac events worldwide, 3.9% of the 33,917 remembered here.
33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1987, 2 officers at Philadelphia Police Department were lost to cardiac events, the 2nd heaviest of 32 years on record. The heaviest was 1983, with 3.
In 1987, 2 officers in PA were lost to cardiac events, the 11th heaviest of 72 years on record. The heaviest was 1957, with 5.
In 1987, 15 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 34th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
In 1987, 15 officers worldwide were lost to cardiac events, the 34th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
Who
Gerard was 41. Of the 37 lost to cardiac events at Philadelphia Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 39 and 52; the middle age was 46. Gerard had served 16 years; the middle length of service was 14 years.
Gerard was 41. Of the 118 lost to cardiac events in PA whose age is recorded, half were between 44 and 56; the middle age was 48. Gerard had served 16 years; the middle length of service was 15.4 years.
Gerard was 41. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Gerard had served 16 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
Gerard was 41. Of the 1,251 lost to cardiac events worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 42.5 and 55; the middle age was 48. Gerard had served 16 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
When
June holds 16.2% of these deaths at Philadelphia Police Department, more than any other month. Sundays: 24.3%.
June holds 11% of these deaths in PA; January holds the most, 11%. Sundays: 16.1%.
June holds 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Sundays: 13.9%.
June holds 7.3% of these deaths worldwide; January holds the most, 9.5%. Sundays: 13.9%.
How
Cardiac deaths account for 9.8% of all 379 deaths at Philadelphia Police Department, the 4th most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 18.9% of these deaths.
Cardiac deaths account for 9.4% of all 1,262 deaths in PA, the 4th most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 16.9% of these deaths.
Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 16.1% of these deaths.
Cardiac deaths account for 3.9% of all 33,917 deaths worldwide, the 4th most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 16% of these deaths.
His people
Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Gerard among them.
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William Baker Dec 27, 1851
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James Miller Aug 5, 1852
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Hiram Hammer Dec 21, 1853
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Jacob Albright Dec 25, 1853
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Thomas H. Snyder Sep 9, 1858
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Peter McKeever
Mar 25, 1861
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James Young Oct 14, 1868
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Dennis Sullivan Jun 14, 1870
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Lewis H. Lare Aug 21, 1872
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Daniel McGonigle Oct 9, 1872
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Henry O'Donnell Jul 4, 1876
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George McGonigle Feb 17, 1877
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Jacob Pennington Boyer
Mar 6, 1877
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Henry Lucas Mar 7, 1877
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William Henry Neinburg Jul 30, 1881
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George A. Jackson
Jun 23, 1887
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James L. Metz Sep 10, 1887
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William D. Johnston
Oct 3, 1887
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James Richard Taylor Jun 13, 1890
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Thomas W. Lawler Jun 21, 1891
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John Loughery Aug 2, 1891
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Elmer E. Findley
Dec 29, 1891
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James H. Kelly May 15, 1892
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James Proctor Sep 9, 1893
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John Chambers
Sep 12, 1894
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William Linder Feb 9, 1896
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Joseph Z. Nutter
Mar 4, 1896
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James M. Maher
Nov 14, 1896
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Francis Quinlan
Jun 19, 1898
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William H. Knecht
Jun 20, 1898
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Nathaniel Thomas Holt, Jr. Apr 9, 1900
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John J. Hallowell Sep 9, 1900
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Charles O. Conaway Nov 10, 1900
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John J. Ryan
Mar 22, 1902
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Edward George
Dec 27, 1902
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John J. Donovan
Sep 25, 1903
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James Moreland
Jun 29, 1904
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Elijah A. Brewer Nov 1, 1904
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Matthew J. Curran
May 26, 1905
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Frank L. Slaymaker
Jun 6, 1906
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Thomas A. Sheldon Jan 6, 1907
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August F. Brusius Feb 23, 1907
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John N. Blanford Jul 5, 1907
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Scott H. Shelley Jan 5, 1908
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Samuel B. Hamilton
Feb 28, 1908
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Thomas Arthur Gordon
Apr 9, 1908
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Edward V. Mooney Dec 19, 1908
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Robert Simons
Feb 17, 1909
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Daniel B. Clinton Apr 22, 1909
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James O'Brien Feb 4, 1910
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James William Stewart Mar 13, 1910
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William H. Weiss May 8, 1910
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John W. Lyons
May 13, 1910
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George Niel Barnett
Nov 28, 1910
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Morris Gelles
Dec 22, 1910
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Joseph Dolphin Feb 17, 1912
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Thomas Dowling
Jun 26, 1912
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David M. Simpson
Sep 21, 1912
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George W. Freeman Sep 24, 1912
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John Mann Aug 4, 1913
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Frank A. Sankey
Sep 18, 1914
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William D. Saunders
Dec 18, 1914
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James Maneely
Mar 25, 1915
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Harry E. Tucker
Apr 24, 1915
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Frank Clayton Hutton
Jan 9, 1916
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Vincent J. Moore Aug 11, 1916
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John F. Smith Oct 28, 1916
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Frederick John Weingard
Jul 23, 1917
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Frank J. McCartney
Aug 30, 1917
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George A. Eppley
Sep 19, 1917
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George L. Williams
Jan 9, 1918
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Charles Francis Dewees Jan 12, 1918
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Thompson Black
Jan 18, 1918
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James Wilson Jan 21, 1918
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Thomas J. McVay
Jul 28, 1918
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Thomas Millard Horlacher Sep 27, 1918
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Charles Rudolph Weber Sep 27, 1918
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Herman Joseph Spreng
Oct 3, 1918
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William F. McMenamin Oct 3, 1918
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John B. Feeley
Oct 4, 1918
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Charles Stewart Conner Oct 4, 1918
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William Sebastian Hendrickson Oct 7, 1918
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Joseph Robert Burns Oct 7, 1918
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George Mason Storey Oct 7, 1918
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William F. Wood Oct 8, 1918
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Edward J. Donnelly Oct 8, 1918
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Vasco Snow Oct 9, 1918
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Benjamin Kauffman
Oct 9, 1918
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Martin Joseph O'Brien Oct 9, 1918
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Thomas Durant Trott Oct 10, 1918
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Walter Scott Danley
Oct 11, 1918
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Howard H. Jolly
Oct 11, 1918
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Thomas James Ferguson Oct 11, 1918
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John Joseph Burns Oct 12, 1918
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Michael Edward Shortall
Oct 12, 1918
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Charles Huffman Kelley Oct 12, 1918
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Benjamin Kine Oct 12, 1918
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Martin R. Clark Oct 13, 1918
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Frederick Hofmann, Jr. Oct 13, 1918
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Joseph Michael Downs Oct 14, 1918
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William Edward Lacy Oct 14, 1918
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Patrick J. Whalen Oct 14, 1918
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John Diamond Oct 15, 1918
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John Paul Freiermuth
Oct 15, 1918
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John Aloysius Gaghan
Oct 15, 1918
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John D. Almenrader Oct 15, 1918
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John Edward Brewster Robinson Oct 16, 1918
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Robert Holmes Elliott Oct 18, 1918
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Charles Aloysius Prendergast Oct 20, 1918
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Walter Scott Bates, Sr.
Oct 21, 1918
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Frederick William Issel Oct 21, 1918
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Francis Joseph Robinson Oct 22, 1918
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Conklin Snow Oct 23, 1918
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John McManus Oct 25, 1918
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William James Ferguson Oct 27, 1918
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Robert John Bell
Nov 3, 1918
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James Orr
Nov 26, 1918
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Harry Harrison Morton, Sr. Nov 28, 1918
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Thomas McAnally Jan 21, 1919
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George Edward Garnett Jan 22, 1919
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 45-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
378 officers from Philadelphia Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.















