William F. Frahm
Agency patch
Police Officer

William F. Frahm

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch September 30, 1927
Age 45
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Badge 480
The Vigil Panel 54 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Frahm was shot and killed during an escape attempt while leading a prisoner through a tunnel connecting the jail and court building. The 34-year-old suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to 40 years. Officer Frahm had served with the Detroit Police Department for 21 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

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

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

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Detroit, Wayne County, MI
Platform Identity detpd.wayne.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 30, 1927
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 45
Badge Number 480
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

William 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1927, 220 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 6th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 45. 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. William had served 21 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.1% 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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years

Police Officer William F. Frahm

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch September 30, 1927

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 41-E

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