Maurice Handloff
Agency patch
Police Officer

Maurice Handloff

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch September 11, 1937
Age 37
Tour of Duty 12 yrs 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 73 ›
Gender Male

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

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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

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 11, 1937
Tour of Duty 12 yrs 6 mo
Age 37
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Maurice is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 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 1937, 123 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 41st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

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.

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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Maurice Handloff

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch September 11, 1937

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-W

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