William A. Bell
Police Officer

William A. Bell

Baltimore Police Department — Baltimore, MD
Felonious
End of Watch January 2, 1932
Age 52
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
The Vigil Panel 63 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer William Bell was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a burglary suspect.

The suspect escaped from the scene but turned himself in 2 days later. He was sentenced to death and executed on April 8, 1932.

Officer Bell had served with the Baltimore City Police Department for 23 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtqpqsbhatzwn8n1q7crz
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew William. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

23 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Bell gave the Baltimore City Police Department 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Baltimore community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Bell.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Baltimore, MD
Platform Identity baltpd.baltimore.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 2, 1932
Tour of Duty 23 yrs
Age 52
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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1932, 210 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 8th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

William was 52. 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 23 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January holds 8% 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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years

Police Officer William A. Bell

Baltimore Police Department · End of Watch January 2, 1932

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 41-E

↑