Lawrence M. Johnson
Agency patch
Sergeant

Lawrence M. Johnson

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch June 2, 1922
Age 44
Tour of Duty 21 yrs 4 mo
The Vigil Panel 43 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Lawrence Johnson succumbed to head injury received six years earlier when a brick was thrown at him on Alder Street, between Norris Street and Berks Street.

He and other officers had answered a call of a riot in the area after another policeman had been attacked by four men who had been firing a gun into the air. During the riot a brick was thrown and struck Sergeant Lawrence in the head causing a serious wound. Due to the seriousness of the wound, he was unable to return to duty and was kept on the city's payroll. He was being treated for the head wound in Bucks County when he died as a result of an infection.

It is unknown whether anyone ever arrested.

Sergeant Johnson was attached to the 28th Police District and served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 21 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

21 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Johnson gave the Philadelphia Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Johnson.

— 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 June 2, 1922
Tour of Duty 21 yrs 4 mo
Age 44
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Assault
Weapon Blunt object; Brick

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Lawrence 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1922, 228 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 3rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Lawrence was 44. 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. Lawrence had served 21.3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 blunt object; brick, in 0% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant Lawrence M. Johnson

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch June 2, 1922

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 53-W

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