Benjamin Louis Short
Agency patch
Police Officer

Benjamin Louis Short

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
End of Watch March 25, 1994
Age 29
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Badge 4751
The Vigil Panel 140 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Short was shot and killed around 1 a.m. when he intervened in a bar fight while off-duty at the Tropical Hut Lounge at 14925 Livernois. Officer Short, who worked as an undercover officer in the department's narcotics enforcement division, was there with his partner when he observed one of the fighters produce a handgun.

Survivors

Officer Short served seven years in law enforcement and is survived by his wife and two-month-old son.

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 Short gave the Detroit Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Short.

— 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 March 25, 1994
Tour of Duty 7 yrs
Age 29
Badge Number 4751
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Benjamin 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 1994, 93 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 59th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Benjamin 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. Benjamin had served 7 years; 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%. 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Benjamin Louis Short

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch March 25, 1994

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-W

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