Incident
Police Officer Maurice Handloff was shot and killed shortly after midnight while attempting to arrest a robbery suspect who was holding up a civilian in their vehicle at a stop light on the 59th Street Bridge near Lancaster Avenue.
Officer Handloff and his partner had been dispatched to the area to search for three suspicious individuals. Once in the area, Officer Handloff and his partner were then alerted by a civilian that a hold up was in progress on the bridge. As they arrived on scene Officer Handloff`s partner, who was driving, managed to grab the holdup subject's left arm while Officer Handloff attempted to grab the other arm. The suspect fired his handgun through the pocket of his coat, striking Officer Handloff in his groin. He was rushed to Misericordia Hospital where he died shortly after midnight.
The suspect, who had been on parole at the time of the incident for embezzlement, was arrested at the scene. In November 1937 he was found guilty by a jury in 12 minutes of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death on March 28th, 1938, in the electric chair.
Police Officer Handloff served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 12 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- 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.
Police Officer Handloff gave the Philadelphia Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Handloff.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Felonious
Philadelphia Police Department has lost 379 officers; 163 of them killed feloniously.
Maurice is one of 598 officers killed feloniously in PA, 47.4% of the 1,262 remembered there.
Maurice is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Maurice is one of 17,631 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1937, 1 officer at Philadelphia Police Department was killed feloniously, the 40th heaviest of 88 years on record. The heaviest was 1919, with 7.
In 1937, 5 officers in PA were killed feloniously, the 38th heaviest of 152 years on record. The heaviest was 1918, with 16.
In 1937, 123 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 41st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1937, 123 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 48th heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Maurice was 37. Of the 162 killed feloniously at Philadelphia Police Department whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 43; the middle age was 34.5. Maurice had served 12.5 years; the middle length of service was 8 years.
Maurice was 37. Of the 585 killed feloniously in PA whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 37. Maurice had served 12.5 years; the middle length of service was 7 years.
Maurice was 37. 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. Maurice had served 12.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Maurice was 37. Of the 15,854 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38. Maurice had served 12.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
September holds 10.4% of these deaths at Philadelphia Police Department, more than any other month. Saturdays: 12.3%.
September holds 10.5% of these deaths in PA, more than any other month. Saturdays: 15.2%.
September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.
September holds 8.8% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Saturdays: 16.2%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 43% of all 379 deaths at Philadelphia Police Department, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 31.3% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 47.4% of all 1,262 deaths in PA, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 27.3% of these deaths.
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.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 20.9% of these deaths.
His people
Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Maurice 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 37-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.















