George C. Effinger

Cleveland Division of Police — Cleveland, OH

Felonious

End of Watch March 20, 1933

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 66 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 118

Incident

Patrolman George Effinger succumbed to wounds sustained 5 years earlier when he and four other officers went to a restaurant on East 55th Street to arrest a Pennsylvania prison escapee. A customer had recognized the suspect and called the police. When they arrived, they approached the man with their guns holstered in order to not incite a shooting match. The suspect, however, opened fire, striking Patrolman Anthony Wieczorek four times and striking Patrolman George Effinger once. Patrolman Wieczorek was taken to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. Patrolman Effinger succumbed to his wound on March 20, 1933. The suspect, who had been shot and wounded during the incident, was apprehended. In 1927, the subject was convicted of the murder of a payroll guard in Pittsburgh on December 23, 1925, and sentenced to death. On August 18, 1927, he and another death row inmate shot their way out of the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh. The subject and a gang he formed were responsible for several hold-ups and murders until his capture. On June 25, 1928, he shot and killed Sergeant George Barstad of the Detroit Police Department during a hold-up at the Detroit News business office. The subject recovered from his wounds and was returned to Pennsylvania, where he was executed in the electric chair on January 20, 1929. Patrolman Effinger had only served with the Cleveland Division of Police for 1 year at the time of the shooting.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: neuraspine_01krbxtpdr1bmtn8s8es3gx703
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew George. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

You barely got started.
Patrolman Effinger gave the Cleveland Division of Police 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Cleveland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Effinger.

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

Agency

Department Cleveland Division of Police

Type Other

Location Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, OH

Platform Identity cdpd.cuyahoga.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 20, 1933

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

George 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1933, 184 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 15th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

George had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

By month

By day of the week

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