Joseph Floyd Taylor
Agency patch
Police Officer

Joseph Floyd Taylor

Grand Rapids Police Department — Grand Rapids, MI
Felonious
End of Watch November 17, 1986
Age 29
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Badge 117
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Taylor was shot and killed while he and other officers searched a home for a murder suspect. As he was searching the upstairs he was ambushed by the suspect from behind a door. The suspect shot Officer Taylor twice and then surrendered to other officers. The suspect was convicted of two counts of first degree murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Officer Taylor had served with the agency for 6 years and was assigned to the Burglary Unit.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, parents, and three siblings.

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.
Police Officer Taylor gave the Grand Rapids Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Grand Rapids community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Taylor.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Grand Rapids, Kent County, MI
Platform Identity grpd.kent.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 17, 1986
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 29
Badge Number 117
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1986, 98 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 54th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

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

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

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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

Grand Rapids Police Department has 15 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Police Officer Joseph Floyd Taylor

Grand Rapids Police Department · End of Watch November 17, 1986

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 37-E

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