Patrolman

Clayton W. Clark

Buffalo Police Department — Buffalo, NY
Felonious
End of Watch February 8, 1938
Age 29
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Badge 45
The Vigil Panel 74 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Clark was beaten to death while attempting to make an arrest at a restaurant at the corner of Main Street and Best Street. The 28-year-old suspect was arrested and charged with manslaughter.

An autopsy revealed that a kick to his chest caused a major artery near his heart to break.

Patrolman Clark had been with the agency for 5 years and was assigned to Precinct 6.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
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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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Clark gave the Buffalo Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Buffalo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Clark.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Buffalo, Erie County, NY
Platform Identity bpd.erie.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 8, 1938
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 29
Badge Number 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 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 1938, 111 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 45th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Clayton was 29. 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. Clayton had served 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

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 person, in 2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Buffalo Police Department has 51 officers remembered here, Clayton among them.

Across the years

Patrolman Clayton W. Clark

Buffalo Police Department · End of Watch February 8, 1938

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 19-W

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