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Selwyn C. Adams
Agency patch
Sergeant

Selwyn C. Adams

Detroit Police Department — Detroit, MI
Felonious
United States flag Michigan flag
End of Watch March 23, 1963
Age 46
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
The Vigil Panel 98 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 249

Incident

Sergeant Selwyn Adams was shot and killed with his own service weapon while making a traffic stop at the Russell off-ramp of Interstate 94. The man he stopped for speeding and reckless driving had been drinking after an earlier argument with his wife. Sgt. Adams holstered his gun after he stopped the vehicle and noticed the suspect's one-year-old son strapped in the front seat of the car. The officer had the suspect hand over the car keys and exit the vehicle. The suspect then began to struggle with Sgt. Adams and was able to obtain the officer's gun. He shot him the officer three times; killing him. The suspect surrendered to police two hours later and was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He served 17.5 years of a 19- to 55-year term when his conviction was overturned in 1981 on a technicality. He was released in 1982 and in 1983 he stabbed his wife to death and then fatally stabbed himself. Sgt.

Survivors

Adams was survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Adams gave the Detroit Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Detroit community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Adams.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch March 23, 1963
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 46
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Selwyn 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1963, 71 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 100th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Selwyn was 46. 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. Selwyn had served 20 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%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant Selwyn C. Adams

Detroit Police Department · End of Watch March 23, 1963

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 19-W

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