Officer

William C. Long

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA
Accident
End of Watch August 31, 1958
Age 36
The Vigil Panel 94 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer William Long was accidentally shot and killed with his own gun when a friend, thinking the gun was unloaded pointed it at Officer Long and pulled the trigger.

Survivors

Officer Long was survived by his wife and three 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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Long served with the San Francisco Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Long.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Francisco, CA
Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 31, 1958
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

William is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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 1958, 50 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 96th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 36. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36.

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

When

August holds 9.5% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Sundays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

San Francisco Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, William among them.

Across the years

Officer William C. Long

San Francisco Police Department · End of Watch August 31, 1958

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 33-E

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