Edward DeFord
Agency patch
Officer

Edward DeFord

Mobile Police Department — Mobile, AL
Felonious
End of Watch October 31, 1935
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Edward DeFord was shot and killed while he and his partner escorted non-union workers across picket lines during the Gulf Coast Longshoreman's strike near the Port of Mobile. He succumbed to his wounds the following day. Other officers shot and killed the suspect. Officer DeFord had been with the agency for eight years.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Officer DeFord gave the Mobile Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Mobile community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer DeFord.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Mobile, Mobile County, AL
Platform Identity mpd.mobile.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 31, 1935
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Edward is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 1935, 154 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 25th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Edward had served 8 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Mobile Police Department has 23 officers remembered here, Edward among them.

Officer Edward DeFord

Mobile Police Department · End of Watch October 31, 1935

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 27-W

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