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Reserve Sergeant

Daniel B. Clinton

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Cardiac

End of Watch April 22, 1909

Age 57

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

The Vigil Panel 23 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 378

Incident

Reserve Sergeant Daniel Clinton suffered a fatal heart attack while he and other officers struggled with three U.S. Navy sailors who were acting disorderly at Delaware Avenue (modern day Christopher Columbus Boulevard) and Market Street.

Sergeant Clinton had witnessed the sailors exit a hotel and begin to act disorderly in front of it. At the same time the proprietor of the hotel made a complaint against them to Sergeant Clinton. As Sergeant Clinton asked the sailors to move along he was attacked by them and knocked to the ground.

He was able to blow on his whistle, summoning assistance from three other officers who were in the area. All four officers attempted to arrest the sailors and were nearly overpowered by them because of their strength. Sergeant Clinton had managed to assist the officers in arresting three of the sailors. While the officers were placing the three sailors into a patrol wagon Sergeant Clinton was attacked from behind by a fourth sailor who then fled on foot from the area, with Sergeant Clinton in pursuit.

Sergeant Clinton suffered a fatal heart attack while pursuing the fourth sailor. He was rushed to Pennsylvania Hospital where he was declared dead.

All three sailors belonged to the USRC Onandaga. They were arrested and charged with aggravated assault and battery.

Reserve Sergeant Clinton served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 19 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, and two sons.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Reserve Sergeant Clinton gave the Philadelphia Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Reserve Sergeant Clinton.

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

Agency

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 22, 1909

Tour of Duty 19 yrs

Age 57

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Cause Detail Heart attack

Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

Daniel is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1909, 2 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 107th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Daniel was 57. 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. Daniel had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

April holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Thursdays: 14.5%.

By month

By day of the week

How

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.

Every cause

Weapons recorded