William H. Knecht
Agency patch
Police Officer

William H. Knecht

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Cardiac
End of Watch June 20, 1898
Age 63
Tour of Duty 36 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer William Knecht Suffered a fatal heart attack as a result of helping an injured man three weeks earlier in the 3100 block of Webster Street.

He had helped free a man who became pinned underneath of his vehicle while working on it. Officer Knecht took the man to Saint Joseph's Hospital for treatment when he became stricken due to over-exertion and extreme heat. He remained at the hospital for more than a week until he was released to go back home. While at home resting he went to sleep and lapsed into a coma until he passed away one week later.

Officer Knecht had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 36 years and was assigned to the 12th Police District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and several children.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

128 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Knecht gave the Philadelphia Police Department 36 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— 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 20, 1898
Tour of Duty 36 yrs
Age 63
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac
Cause Detail Heart attack

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

William is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% 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 1898, 3 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 100th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 63. 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. William had served 36 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

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

When

June holds 7.2% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Mondays: 12.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer William H. Knecht

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch June 20, 1898

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 12-E

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