Officer Herman A. Jones, Sr

CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO

CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO 

JONES, HERMAN
57-W: 19
End of Watch: May 26, 1993
Baltimore City, Maryland, P.D.

At the end of a long, hard shift, Officer Jones stopped at a local carry-out in the 1500 block of North Gay Street. Officer Jones had put on a light jacket over his uniform. While waiting for his order, three suspects, armed with guns, entered the establishment. Their criminal motive was robbery, and the officer became the easy target. After being confronted at gunpoint and wanting to protect his life as well as the life of the store owner, Officer Jones heroically attempted to stop the robbery. Officer Jones pulled his weapon. During the exchange of gunfire, Officer Jones shot two of the three suspects and was mortally wounded. Officer Jones gave his life to protect another.

On this day in Baltimore City Police History, we lost our brother, Police Officer Herman A. Jones, Sr. Officer Jones was shot and killed as he waited for carryout food. Three teenagers entered the restaurant and grabbed Officer Jones, who was off-duty. One of the teenagers drew a.38 caliber handgun and shot Officer Jones twice. Officer Jones was able to return fire, striking two of the suspects. All three suspects were later arrested. Officer Jones had served with the agency for 24 years. His wife and two children have survived him.

While he is no longer with us, he will never be forgotten by us, his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department. RIP, and God bless, as we take this time to remember you on this day.

Here are some additional news reports

Revolver that Killed Officer still missing Police also seek Officer's Weapon
May 29, 1993 | By Michael James, Staff Writer

The.38-caliber revolver used to kill a Baltimore police officer Wednesday is still missing, as is the officer's 9-mm service pistol, which was stolen from him as he lay mortally wounded, police said.

Investigators yesterday continued to search in a weed-infested field at Chester and Gay streets, where one of the youths charged with killing Officer Herman A. Jones Sr. claims to have thrown the 38.

The youth, Herbert Wilson, 17, told detectives he threw the gun into the field after running from the Jung Hing Chinese Carryout in the 1500 block of N. Gay St., police said. Officer Jones was slain during an early morning shootout at the East Baltimore carryout.

City Department of Public Works employees used weed-cutters to cut through the waist-high grass and bushes, and a police K-9 unit was called in, but the gun was not found, police said.

"It could be that it wasn't in fact thrown there, or it may have been picked up by someone else," said Agent Doug Price, a city police spokesman. "We want to find it before it's used in another crime, or in the worst possible scenario, another death."

Police have not been able to determine the whereabouts of the officer's 9-mm Glock service pistol, Agent Price said.

Herbert Wilson, of the 2100 block of E. Biddle St., and the other two suspects—Clifton Price, 17, of the 1600 block of N. Montford St., and Derrick Broadway, 16, of the 1800 block of Aiken St.—are each charged as adults with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and felony use of a handgun.

Officer Jones, 50, a 23-year-old veteran, died in surgery after suffering massive blood loss from gunshot wounds to the pelvis and knee.

When the youths ambushed him, they claimed to be prowling the area looking for someone to rob. He had just finished his 4 p.m. to midnight shift at the Central District and had stopped at the carryout for food.

The officer, on his knees after being pushed to the ground, got off five shots from his pistol and hit both the Wilson and Broadway youths. The Wilson youth was treated and released at Johns Hopkins Hospital for a thigh wound.

Derrick Broadway ran about four blocks before collapsing with wounds to the chest and shoulder. He was under a police guard in serious but stable condition at Hopkins last night.

Police said search warrants served at the boys' homes turned up two bullet-shell casings, a bullet, and several bloody articles of clothing. A copper-jacketed, hollow-point bullet was found on the Broadway youth as he was being treated, police said.

'Why him? Why anybody?' Slain officer mourned
Jones, remembered as 'a good person'

June 02, 1993

Joe Nawrozki, Staff Writer

Under a sparkling June sky, the powerful voices of a choir rose outside the Little Ark Missionary Baptist Church in East Baltimore. Hundreds of somber-faced police officers lined the south side of the 1200 block of E. North Ave., and scores of residents pushed closer from the other side of the street as the casket was carried toward the hearse.

The funeral of Officer Herman A. Jones Sr., who was fatally shot May 26 during a robbery in an East Baltimore Chinese carryout, punctuated the neighborhood yesterday with the stirring sounds of a bagpipe, the wails of mourners, and the voices of everyday citizens calling for justice.

Charged as adults with first-degree murder and handgun violations in the officer's death are Herbert "Squeaky" Wilson, 17, of the 2100 block of E. Biddle St.; Clifton "Chip" Price, 17, of the 1600 block of N. Montford Ave.; and Derrick N. Broadway, 16, of the 1800 block of Aiken St.

Along with anguish from Officer Jones' family and fellow officers, there was also a mounting sense of frustration among the residents of the North Avenue community, weary of the violence and fearful for their children's safety.

"They ought to crank up the gas chamber over at the pen for all this killing going on," said an elderly onlooker wearing a straw hat and a bow tie.

"This guy they killed here; he was so tall you could see him walking toward you from blocks away," a woman said, her arms folded and staring at the front of the tiny church. "He had such a nice way with kids and people. Why him, why anybody?"

Officer Jones, 50, was eulogized yesterday in the community where he grew up and received much of his schooling. Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke and City Comptroller Jacqueline McLean spoke highly of the slain officer, while other city dignitaries paid their respects to family members during the four-hour service.

Officer Jones was one of the founders of the Vanguard Justice Society, a group of black city officers, and later served on that organization's board of trustees.

He was an honorably discharged Army veteran and earned an associate of arts degree from the Community College of Baltimore in 1976.

Though dedication to his family and the city was important to Officer Jones, several of his close friends said he was talking more and more about retiring.

"He was always outgoing; he made you laugh," said Robert Lowman, a field supervisor for the state Department of Parole and Probation who grew up with Officer Jones in East Baltimore.

"He was giving more thought to retiring because these young kids today on the street have no value for human life," Mr. Lowman said.

There were people at the funeral who had played stickball with Officer Jones in an alley behind his home on Wolfe Street. Others remembered him as the lanky receiver on City College's Maryland Scholastic Association championship football team in the early 1960s.

Many of his fellow officers praised him as a compassionate officer who loved walking a foot post rather than being detached from the public inside a patrol car.

Others, including Gary Mosby, knew Officer Jones from his regular contact with the public. Mr. Mosby, a baggage handler at the Greyhound-Trailways bus station in the 200 block of W. Fayette St., said he enjoyed their conversations.

"I saw him the day before he was killed," Mr. Mosby said. "He seemed to enjoy talking about his children a lot.

"He was a good person, really," Mr. Mosby said. "Not perfect, but he respected people, and they respected him. He carried himself proudly."

John Pittman, 33, sat on the steps of his home at 1246 E. North Ave. and cursed the murder of the officer and the lack of values among some of today's youths.

"He was a pretty nice guy, and because of that, we taught our children to respect the police," said Mr. Pittman, who works nights as a janitor. "I worry where we're all going. The parents are not taking care of their kids, making them go to school."

Del. Clarence Davis, D-Baltimore, a childhood acquaintance of Officer Jones, said, "Nearly the whole old neighborhood made it today for Herman. Everybody knew him, and it's a big loss because he really cared."

Detective Arnold Adams knew Officer Jones during the slain officer's entire 23-year police career, going from stumbling rookies to veterans. They started working the streets together and grew to be close friends.

"He spent his entire time in the Central District," Detective Adams said. "Loyalty was the big thing for Herman. He knew his city, its history, and the people in it. He always loved City College, where he played ball. I don't think he missed a City-Poly game on Thanksgiving Day. 

Three youths charged with slaying officer

May 27, 1993 | By Michael James, Staff Writer

Three teenagers were charged with first-degree murder in the death yesterday of an off-duty Baltimore police officer who was gunned down during a shootout inside a carryout restaurant, police said. Investigators said the youths had already "cased" the Jung Hing Carryout in the 1500 block of N. Gay St. and were waiting for a customer to rob when 50-year-old Officer Herman A. Jones Sr. entered the restaurant. "We believe the officer was the intended victim," police spokesman Sam Ringgold said. "I'm not sure if they knew he was an officer, but they found out very quickly." The 23-year-old veteran had just gotten off his 4-to-midnight shift and was still in his police uniform, partially covered by a blue windbreaker. He was still wearing his bulletproof vest, police said. Two youths were in the carryout pretending to read a wall menu when they grabbed the officer and pushed him into a corner, police said. The third youth then entered the carryout and pointed a.38-caliber pistol at Officer Jones, police said. Either accidentally or in an attempt to distract the youths, the officer dropped several personal items, including his key rings, money clip, a pen knife, and two packs of Tic-Tacs, police said. When the youths began picking them up, Officer Jones pulled out his gun. In an exchange of gunfire, Officer Jones shot two of his assailants and was himself shot twice. One bullet struck his left knee, and another entered his left thigh, ripped through his femoral artery, and came out of his right hip, police said. The officer got off five shots before being felled, police said.

As the mortally wounded man lay on the ground, one of the youths took Officer Jones' 9-mm Glock pistol and ran from the PTC store with the other two youths, police said. The officer died two hours later in surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Charged yesterday as adults with murder and handgun violations were Herbert "Squeaky" Wilson, 17, of the 2100 block of E. Biddle St.; Clifton "Chip" Price, 17, of the 1600 block of N. Montford Ave.; and Derrick N. Broadway, 16, of the 1800 block of Aiken St. The Broadway youth was arrested after police followed a trail of blood for four blocks. The Wilson and Price youths were arrested at their homes about 6 a.m. yesterday, police said. They were being held on no bail in the Eastern District. Police said the Wilson youth was thought to have been the shooter. They said he was shot in the right thigh and treated and released at Hopkins. Derrick Broadway, shot in the shoulder and upper chest, was in stable condition at Hopkins, police said. Detectives interviewed Herbert Wilson and Clifton Price, who told them the three had been "prowling the streets looking for victims, had cased a nearby pizza shop, and then noticed Officer Jones... and decided to rob [him]," a police report said.

Officer Jones, a Central District officer who walked foot patrols in an increasingly heavy crime area of downtown, grew up in East Baltimore and often stopped by the Jung Hing carryout in his old neighborhood, family and friends said. "That was one of his favorite stops after work," said Clinton Stewart, 50, a fellow Central District officer and a friend who had known Officer Jones for 23 years. "He worked in one of the roughest areas of town, but this happened after work, when he went to his old neighborhood to just get something to eat." Officer Stewart, a member of the Vanguard Justice Society Inc., which represents about 550 black officers, said Officer Jones was a founding member of the group in 1971. A former football player at Baltimore City College, Officer Jones was a soft-spoken man who spent most of his spare time either at home or on an occasional fishing trip, said his wife of 26 years, Linda Jones. The couple lived in the Hamilton section of northeast Baltimore. Both their children are grown. "He was a quiet kind of guy; he really was," she said. "In the last three years, he said he was considering retiring. It might have been because it was getting rough [on the street], but those are my words, not his. He was quiet about that." Officer Jones regularly walked his beat around Eutaw and Howard streets downtown, making regular contact with merchants who, he said recently, were growing more and more fearful of crime. "He preferred the street. He was the type of policeman they're trying to model neighborhood policing after," Officer Stewart said. "It was important to him to walk his beat. He grew up here. He was part of the Baltimore community." Officer Jones is Baltimore's 134th homicide victim of 1993, compared with 118 at this time last year, the city's worst year ever for murder.

Two teens plead guilty to police officer's murder

January 07, 1994|By Jay Apperson | Jay Apperson,Staff Writer

Two East Baltimore teenagers each could be sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading guilty yesterday to participating in the murder of an off-duty city police officer last May.

Derrick N. Broadway and Clifton "Chip" Price, both 17, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, attempted armed robbery and use of a handgun in a crime of violence in connection with the May 26, 1993, shooting death of Baltimore police Officer Herman A. Jones Sr.

Officer Jones, 50, was killed when he stopped at a Chinese food carryout in East Baltimore after completing a 4 p.m.-to-midnight shift.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, neither teenager will be sentenced to more than 30 years, the maximum, for second-degree murder and 20 years, to be served consecutively, for attempted armed robbery. For the handgun violations, each would receive a five-year, no-parole sentence to be served concurrently.

As part of the plea bargain, the teenagers agreed to testify against 18-year-old Herbert "Squeaky" Wilson, who allegedly fired the shots. In return, prosecutors dropped felony murder charges, which carry life sentences, against Broadway and Price.

Mr. Wilson is scheduled to stand trial on first-degree murder and related charges on Thursday. Broadway and Price are to be sentenced on Feb. 24 by Judge Richard T. Rombro.

Both teenagers stood with heads bowed as Bridget Shepherd, an assistant public defender representing Price, explained to them that Maryland law holds that those who participate in a crime such as an attempted robbery can be held responsible for the outcome, even if they didn't actually fire any shots.

Broadway, who was 16 when Officer Jones was killed, appeared to have recovered from two shots to the chest sustained when Officer Jones exchanged shots with his would-be robbers.

An autopsy showed that the officer was shot in the thigh and knee and bled to death.

In presenting a statement of facts to the court, prosecutor Mark P. Cohen began by saying the three teenagers were drinking together in a house in East Baltimore the night of the shooting when they decided to commit a robbery. He said they obtained a.38-caliber revolver from another man and headed to a pizza carryout but found no one to rob. From there, they went to the Jung Hing Chinese Carryout in the 1500 block of N. Gay St., where they crossed paths with Officer Jones, Mr. Cohen said.

The prosecutor said Mr. Wilson announced a robbery and ordered the officer to his knees, but Officer Jones reached for his gun, and the shoot-out began. Mr. Wilson was shot in the thigh.

The teenagers fled—with his chest wounds, Broadway made it only about four blocks before collapsing—and the revolver was given to a man with the street name "Dirty Butt Cheeks," Mr. Cohen said. That gun was later recovered, and ballistics tests linked it to the bullets taken from Officer Jones' body.

Ms. Shepherd, the defense lawyer, said that the men were not only drinking but were smoking marijuana before the botched robbery. She also said the officer's 9-mm semiautomatic service weapon, which has never been recovered, was probably stolen by "bystanders." Alexander R. Martick, a lawyer representing Broadway, said his client was not aware that the victim, who was wearing a windbreaker over his uniform, was a police officer. Mr. Martick also said Broadway at first regarded the discussed plans to go out and rob someone as "a joke." Ms. Shepherd said, "As far as I know, it was their first effort, and they just happened to hit someone who was armed."

When the events surrounding the shooting were described in court, Karen Smith, the slain officer's niece, began to dab at her tears. Later, she said, "Everybody loses. We've lost an uncle, and society has lost two more young men."

In that vein, the officer's sister, Grace Neal, said, "They get with the wrong crowd. I feel sorry for their mothers today, and I feel sorry for me because I lost my brother."

After the hearing, the officer's relatives and Broadway's mother exchanged condolences.

Broadway's mother could be heard telling the officer's relatives, "I grieve for Officer Jones and this whole situation."

Ms. Smith replied, "I know you do." 

Murder defense: Intent was to scare

January 25, 1994|By Jay Apperson | Jay Apperson,Staff Writer

A teenager charged as the gunman in last May's fatal shooting of an off-duty Baltimore police officer was merely trying to scare the officer, not rob him, the defendant's lawyer told a Baltimore Circuit Court jury yesterday.

"That was stupid. That was naive. But it's not felony murder," defense lawyer M. Brooke Murdock said at the start of Herbert "Squeaky" Wilson's trial.

Officer Herman A. Jones Sr., 50, was killed in a shootout early on May 26, 1993, in a Chinese food carryout in East Baltimore. Two other teenagers who pleaded guilty this month to second-degree murder and other charges could get 50 years in prison.

Prosecutor Mark Cohen told the jury yesterday that ballistics tests linked a bullet recovered from Officer Jones' leg to a.38-caliber revolver that Mr. Wilson, 18, acquired the night of the shooting. He said Mr. Wilson and his cohorts targeted the off-duty police officer, who was wearing a windbreaker over his uniform.

The prosecutor then told the jury that under the state's felony murder law, the alleged gunman is guilty of first-degree murder because the victim was killed during the commission of a felony—an attempted robbery.

Ms. Murdock told the jury that Mr. Wilson might be guilty of carrying a gun but that he is not guilty of murder. She said Officer Jones' death was "a story of boys—immature, stupid, naive boys who are attracted to the glamour of guns."

She noted that the bullet that killed Officer Jones by piercing an artery near his hip has not been recovered, and she suggested that one of the two others present might have used the officer's 9-mm gun to fire the fatal shot. Seeking to delay the start of the trial, Ms. Murdock said her client was having difficulty understanding the proceedings. She said Mr. Wilson is mildly retarded and has an IQ of 74.

Judge Richard T. Rombro refused to delay the trial, but he ordered court medical officials to examine Mr. Wilson today to determine whether he is competent to stand trial.

Youth convicted of murder in off-duty policeman's death

February 03, 1994|By Jay Apperson | Jay Apperson,Sun Staff Writer

A teenager named by authorities as the gunman in last May's fatal shooting of an off-duty Baltimore police officer was convicted yesterday of first-degree felony murder.

A Baltimore Circuit Court jury deliberated for two hours before finding Herbert "Squeaky" Wilson of the 2100 block of E. Biddle St. guilty on all charges in the murder of Officer Herman A. Jones Sr. Officer Jones, 50, was killed in a shootout in a Chinese food carryout in East Baltimore.

Wilson, who was also convicted of using a handgun in a violent crime, attempted armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, could receive prison terms totaling life plus 40 years. He is to be sentenced on March 10 by Judge Richard T. Rombro.

During closing arguments yesterday, prosecutor Mark P. Cohen motioned toward Wilson and said, "He took the life of a good man who did nothing other than stop off and get something to eat after eight hours of policing our streets and neighborhoods. [Officer Jones] did not deserve to die."

Wilson, 18, became the third East Baltimore teenager to be convicted in the killing. Derrick N. Broadway and Clifton "Chip" Price, both 17, could receive sentences totaling up to 50 years each in prison after pleading guilty last month to second-degree murder and other charges. The teenagers, who fulfilled the terms of their plea agreements by testifying against Wilson, are to be sentenced on Feb. 24.

Defense attorney M. Brooke Murdock argued yesterday that Broadway fired the shot that killed the officer—after Wilson had fled the carryout. Wilson testified that he and his friends were trying to scare their victim, not rob him, leading Ms. Murdock to argue that Wilson was guilty of second-degree murder rather than the more serious first-degree murder charge.

Ms. Murdock acknowledged that Wilson obtained a.38 caliber revolver the night of the shooting; a slug taken from the officer's knee was linked by ballistic tests to that gun. But the bullet that apparently killed Officer Jones by severing an artery was not recovered, and the defense lawyer suggested Broadway used the officer's 9mm semiautomatic handgun to fire that bullet.

During the trial, Ms. Murdock presented a witness who claimed that he had shared a jail cell with Broadway and that the teenager had admitted killing the officer.

Mr. Cohen scoffed at the notion that the teenagers were not out to commit robbery. He maintained that Wilson fired the fatal shot, but added that it didn't matter who fired the shot because Wilson participated in the attempted armed robbery and was therefore guilty of felony murder.

Under Maryland law, anyone who participates in a felony in which a person is killed is guilty of first-degree murder.

After the jury announced its verdict, the officer's widow, Linda Jones, wept. Mrs. Jones remarked, "These have been the worst two weeks of our lives, accompanied by her daughter and her sister-in-law. We just want to get on with our lives."

Youth convicted of murder in off-duty policeman's death

February 03, 1994|By Jay Apperson | Jay Apperson,Sun Staff Writer

A teenager named by authorities as the gunman in last May's fatal shooting of an off-duty Baltimore police officer was convicted yesterday of first-degree felony murder.

A Baltimore Circuit Court jury deliberated for two hours before finding Herbert "Squeaky" Wilson of the 2100 block of E. Biddle St. guilty on all charges in the murder of Officer Herman A. Jones Sr. Officer Jones, 50, was killed in a shootout in a Chinese food carryout in East Baltimore.

Wilson, who was also convicted of using a handgun in a violent crime, attempted armed robbery, and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, could receive prison terms totaling life plus 40 years. He is to be sentenced on March 10 by Judge Richard T. Rombro.

During closing arguments yesterday, prosecutor Mark P. Cohen motioned toward Wilson and said, "He took the life of a good man who did nothing other than stop off and get something to eat after eight hours of policing our streets and neighborhoods. [Officer Jones] did not deserve to die."

Wilson, 18, became the third East Baltimore teenager to be convicted in the killing. Derrick N. Broadway and Clifton "Chip" Price, both 17, could receive sentences totaling up to 50 years each in prison after pleading guilty last month to second-degree murder and other charges. The teenagers, who fulfilled the terms of their plea agreements by testifying against Wilson, are to be sentenced on Feb. 24.

Defense attorney M. Brooke Murdock argued yesterday that Broadway fired the shot that killed the officer—after Wilson had fled the carryout. Wilson testified that he and his friends were trying to scare their victim, not rob him, leading Ms. Murdock to argue that Wilson was guilty of second-degree murder rather than the more serious first-degree murder charge.

Ms. Murdock acknowledged that Wilson obtained a.38 caliber revolver the night of the shooting; a slug taken from the officer's knee was linked by ballistic tests to that gun. But the bullet that apparently killed Officer Jones by severing an artery was not recovered, and the defense lawyer suggested Broadway used the officer's 9mm semiautomatic handgun to fire that bullet.

During the trial, Ms. Murdock presented a witness who claimed that he had shared a jail cell with Broadway and that the teenager had admitted killing the officer.

Mr. Cohen scoffed at the notion that the teenagers were not out to commit robbery. He maintained that Wilson fired the fatal shot, but added that it didn't matter who fired the shot because Wilson participated in the attempted armed robbery and was therefore guilty of felony murder.

Under Maryland law, anyone who participates in a felony in which a person is killed is guilty of first-degree murder.

After the jury announced its verdict, the officer's widow, Linda Jones, wept. Accompanied by her daughter and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Jones said, "This has been the worst two weeks of our lives. We just want to get on with our lives."

6 Fallen Heroes Remembered

May 7, 1994 | By Ed Brandt | Ed Brandt,Sun Staff Writer

On a cool, breezy day perfect for remembrance, Maryland's fallen heroes were honored in an emotional ceremony yesterday at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens in Timonium.

Among the six police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty during the past year was Baltimore Officer Herman A. Jones, 50, who was shot dead in East Baltimore last May in a confrontation with three teenagers who tried to rob him when he stopped at a carryout on his way home from work.

One teenager is serving a life sentence plus 20 years. The other two each got 50 years in prison.

"Today is like the day of his funeral," his widow, Linda, said, "and I feel very tense, but it's very nice." She was accompanied at the ceremony by her daughter, sister, and other relatives and friends.

Others who have died in the line of duty since last May were:

* William W. Overman Jr., 45, of the Herald Harbor Volunteer Fire Co., who died of a heart attack while responding to a call.

* Deputy Chief Michael J. Wilcom Jr., 34, of the New Market District Volunteer and Rescue Company, who died of a heart attack while responding to the third of three fires in one afternoon.

* Mark M. Filer, 31, of the Montgomery County Police Department, was killed in a collision while on duty.

* James E. Walch, 30, is a Montgomery County police officer who was killed when his police car skidded on ice and hit a utility pole while he was pursuing a stolen Jeep driven by a 13-year-old boy.

* James Bagleo, 26, of the Prince George's County Police Department, struck a utility pole while responding to a call. He was promoted posthumously to the rank of sergeant.

Many Maryland police and fire agencies sent uniformed delegations to the ceremony, which opened with a colorful procession of flag-carrying honor guards led by the John F. Nicoll Pipe Band of Baltimore County.

About 700 people, including many public officials, attended the ceremony under a 100-by-60-foot white canopy set up in front of the Fallen Heroes Memorial, which has a bronze relief of a police officer and a firefighter carrying a little girl.

Small replicas of the Fallen Heroes Memorial were presented to the families of the six men.

In 1976, the late John W. Armiger Sr. set aside 330 burial spaces in the cemetery, free of charge, for Maryland law enforcement officers and firefighters, emergency medical and rescue officers, and correctional officers who die in the line of duty.

His son, John Armiger Jr., is president of Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens.

Officer Robert M. Hurley

CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO

On this day in Baltimore Police History 1973, we lost our brother, Officer Robert M. Hurley, to a heart attack. Officer Hurley was involved in a car chase one day earlier, on March 28, 1973. This was more than a simple chase; this went on for a little longer than normal; it went on through more than one district; it resulted in a bailout, a foot chase, and a struggle before the suspect would be taken into custody. Afterward, Officer Hurley told others that after the chase, the accident, and the struggle, he didn’t feel right; he felt excited, anxious, and different from normal.

He went home from work not feeling well. He had told his wife about a car chase, the foot chase, and the struggle, and how he was a little tired and sore. As he put it, “I am just not feeling right.” This is coming from a guy who never complained, to say, “I just don’t feel right!”. The next day, while driving into work in his nearly brand new 1972 Chevy Impala, he felt a tightness in his chest. Then,  all of a sudden, Officer Hurley grabbed his chest. He was in severe pain, and his car began swerving back and forth in the street. Concerned for those around him and their safety, he worked to bring the car under control. At one point, witnesses say they could see he was having trouble and that he was in pain. A store owner who knew him knew he was having a heart attack; he was heading the wrong way into traffic and somehow still managed to prevent a head-on. He brought his car to rest against a pole and parked car, with little damage to either. A witness who was taking his wife to a nearby banquet (but running late) saw the start of these events as Officer Hurley first began grabbing his chest at a red light. The witness went on to drop his wife off at the banquet and came back to tell how heroic it was for a man in desperate pain to still divert an accident, bringing the car to rest without injuring anyone.

There was a minor traffic accident, but it could have been a lot worse. The heart attack took Officer Hurley from us that day; it came on as a result of the excitement and an injury Officer Hurley had the night before. He was injured, but no one knew; he had told everyone he didn’t quite feel right, but there were no visible injuries, so no one knew. That was when the heart attack occurred. One day after that, with the severe chest pains he received during a vehicle pursuit, he would die. But even then, he would die a hero, with more concerns for the safety of those around him than for the safety of himself.

Funeral services for patrolmen Robert M. Hurley, an 18-year-old veteran of the Baltimore Police Department, was held on April 2, 1973, at 1 PM at the Schimunek funeral establishment, 3331 Brehms Lane. Patrolman Hurley died of a heart attack on Thursday, March 29, 1973, while on his way home from work. He was 46 years old. Patrolman Robert M. Hurley was born in Baltimore, attended city schools, and once worked at Bethlehem Steel Corporation as a welder. In 1944, Patrolman Hurley joined the Navy and served as a gunner’s mate 3rd class in the Pacific. He was a charter member of the Baltimore City Police Union and was on the personnel board. He was the 2nd-place president of the Union at the time of his death. Patrolman Hurley was also a co-founder and charter member of Police Council #27. He was survived by his wife Angelina Hurley and their three sons, “Bruce, Robert, and Patrick Hurley,” as well as his three daughters, “Cynthia, Sharon, and Donna Marie Hurley.” He also left behind two granddaughters. All are of Baltimore; also surviving are a brother, Edgar Hurley, and his sister, Joan Hurley.

We, his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department, will not let him be forgotten. RIP Officer Robert M. Hurley and God bless For your service, "honor" the City of Baltimore and the Baltimore Police Department."

On this day in Baltimore Police History 1935, we lost our brother police officer Max Hirsch to an on-the-job injury based on the following:

Patrolman Max Hirsch of the Southern District was still unconscious at South Baltimore General Hospital on February 14, 1935, more than 16 hours after he had been injured in a fall at a garage in the rear of 614 Light St. during a commercial burglary investigation.  While patrolling his post, Officer Hirsh received information of a burglary in progress. Upon arrival at the location, he found an open door. During a meticulous search of the property, he made his way up to the second floor and continued his search. This part of the building was cluttered, unstable, and unsafe. As he searched, he came upon a suspect in hiding. This part of the events has become blurred; some say the suspect may have struggled with Officer Hirsch pushing him, which caused the fall; others say the man startled Officer Hirsch as he jumped up and ran; Officer Hirsch gave chase, apparently forgetting where he was, and then fell through an already weakened floor. In either case, the suspect was never seen or heard from again, and he was also never captured.

Because the witness who gave Officer Hirsch the information was anonymous too, for all we know, it could have been a set-up. We will never know. There were no leads to follow, no clues, and nowhere for the detectives to go for leads. The case was cold before it began.

Physicians said he had a “Probable Fractured Skull” as he staggered into a Fire House located at Light and Montgomery Streets, It was 6 AM, his hat was missing, and he asked for help as he said, “I fell." Authorities at the time were able to learn from him that he climbed to the second floor of the garage as part of an on-view, in-progress burglary investigation he stumbled upon while working his post. He was able to explain that he fell through the concrete of the second floor to the first floor below before making his way to the firehouse for medical attention and before being taken to South Baltimore General, where he would later succumb to his injuries. He wasn't clear in describing his confrontation with the suspect before slipping into what would become more than 16 hours of unconsciousness. He would eventually succumb to his injuries.

At 2 PM the following Sunday, a funeral service was held at his home at 3354 Park Heights Ave. for our brother, Patrolman Hirsh.  Rabbi Israel Tabak, of the Shaael Zion congregation, officiated the burial, which was held in the Harry Run Cemetery. The police guard and his fellow officers from the Southern District were in attendance.

We take this time to remember him and thank him for his service and sacrifice. We, his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department, will not let him be forgotten. God bless you and rest in peace.

Officer Charles M. Hilbert

CLICK HERE FOR SOUND

On this day in Baltimore City Police History 1950, we lost our brother police officer, Charles M. Hilbert. On August 4, 1950, Officer Hilbert, a recent appointee to the police force, was killed in the line of duty when he was struck by an automobile as he was directing traffic at the corner of Potee Street and Patapsco Avenue. The striking vehicle was being operated by a drunk driver who was heading in the wrong direction and ignoring the officer’s instructions. The impact threw Officer Hilbert into the air and up against a street pole, causing him to be transported to South Baltimore General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries. Officer Hilbert was a US Army veteran of WWII. He had served with the Baltimore Police Department for 2 months and was survived by his wife.

We, his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department, won’t let him be forgotten, RIP Officer Charles M. Hilbert: "Your service "Honored" the City of Baltimore and the Baltimore Police Department."

Special Agent Samuel Hicks

Former Baltimore Police Officer

The Slain Agent: Samuel Hicks 'Was so Good at What he Did'

 

Samuel was an Eagle Scout in Westmoreland Fayette Boy Scouts of America Council, loved to snowboard and entered the national boardercross circuit while attending the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown (UPJ), surfed, was a certified scuba diver, barrel raced his quarter horse named Dusty, played soccer, played guitar, was an artist, played ice hockey for UPJ, and served community service.

Start in Law Enforcement 

Joins the FBI 

United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Government

End of Watch: Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Special Agent Samuel Hicks was shot and killed while serving a narcotics search warrant at a home in Indiana Township, Pennsylvania. As Agent Hicks and other agents took the male subject into custody, the man's wife fired a shot blindly from the bedroom, fatally wounding Agent Hicks.

In January 2011, the female subject pleaded guilty to manslaughter and weapons charges and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Agent Hicks had served with the FBI for 18 months and had previously served with the Baltimore, Maryland, Police Department for two years.

He is survived by his wife and 2-year-old son.

Samuel S. Hicks
1974–2008

Special Agent Samuel S. Hicks was killed on November 19, 2008, while executing a federal arrest warrant associated with the takedown of a violent drug trafficking organization near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Upon entering the subject’s house to make the arrest, Special Agent Hicks was shot and killed; the subject was subsequently taken into custody. The planned arrest was the culmination of a year-long investigation involving multiple federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Watch a video on Agent Hicks’ name being added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and read the Director's remarks at a funeral service for Special Agent Hicks.

This is the official history site of the Baltimore Police Department. It depicts the history of the department as it was originally conceived and told by the retired officer, William M. Hackley. Sadly, Officer Hackley passed away on March 15, 2012, leaving his site to Ret. Det. Kenny Driscoll. It took a month or so to take full responsibility for the site and its content. The thoughts and use of certain items, terms, sounds, and implications are not necessarily those that would be agreed upon by the Baltimore Police Department as an official government agency. Likewise, we do not seek their permission or approval to post the things we post, and as such, nothing on these pages should be held against them.

The intent of this site is more than just to tell our history; it is to have everyone remember our injured and fallen heroes, those who, in the performance of their duties, were called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice.

So as you surf these pages, you will see the Baltimore Police Department from its infancy, showing the crude methods of policing in the 1700's through the 1800's and becoming the modern, highly efficient department that it has become today.

Enjoy the site for what it is: a rendition of the proud history of one of this country’s finest police departments, one for which those of us who have worked it are proud of and honored to have served. The many men and women that still proudly serve, and those that someday will serve.

Police Officer Milton Heckwolf

On this day, February 9, 1926, we lost our brother, police officer Milton Heckwolf, to a line of duty Illness based on the following:

LETTERS to the EDITOR

The Sun (1837–1989); Jul 7, 1926; p. . 8

Limitations of the police pension fund, explained by Commissioner Gaither

To the editor of the sun: Sir: my husband was an officer of the central police station from August 7, 1922, until February 9, 1926, this being the date of his death. A great many people think that I am well provided for by the Police Department of the city of Baltimore. But all that I’ve received is the paltry sum of $770 to rear and educate three children, the oldest of whom is only 12 years old. Also, I’ve had to work from the time my husband entered the police force until present time. I asked about his pension or an allowance for my children and received the cold reply that there is no provision for such in the state of Maryland and that my husband died a natural death.

This much I do know—that my husband contracted his illness while on duty helping the firemen while fighting a fire at the Ainslee apartment. The hose burst and he caught his death of cold by getting dripping wet and continued to patrol his post for the rest of the night.

From the severe cold developed the flu; double pneumonia and pleurisy followed. It was mighty heartbreaking to stand by, watch and administer to his every want in vain.

Now I am left a burden to the old folk, for most of this death benefit has been devoured by the funeral expenses and doctor bills.

I have been told that my husband was always on the job, had been cited for bravery, and was well thought of at the central station. And that he had many friends on his post, but of all the friends he had, there isn’t one of them that has been to see me since he has been buried to ask me how I am getting along or if there is anything they could do. Not that I want anything for myself! With the help of God, no, but something should be done for my children.

I also extended my sympathy to the wives of those officers that have been shot, and I am glad to know that they are being given more consideration than was given me, but it only proves that an officer must meet a tragic death in some way while on duty before the widow and children are provided for after the husband’s death.

I am sure there are more widows of police officers who will reason with me on this point.

Mrs. Milton Heckwolf

Police Commissioner Charles D Gaither says, in reference to the above letter, that there is nothing in the records of the Police Department to show that patrolman had Wolf died from any other than natural causes. This being the case, Mrs. Hickwolf does not receive a pension because the law provides life pension only for the widows a policeman who were killed or died from injuries received in the performance of their public duty. The $770 which Mrs. Hickwolf received was provided by the police benefit Association, which raises its funds by appropriating weekly amounts from the salaries of its members in the department. A new insurance preposition was put into effect one July, increasing this amount to $1500 to be paid to the beneficiaries at time of death of those policeman who elect to become policyholders.

Police Officer George D. Hart

CLICK HERE FOR AUDIO

On this day in Baltimore Police History 2 Jan 1925 we lost our brother, Police Officer George D. Hart - Officer Hart died from injuries received when his motorcycle and a car collided at University Parkway and Charles Street on November 16, 1924. Officer Hart, who was married, died of his injuries on January 2, 1925. Officer Hart entered the department on March 27, 1924 We his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police department will not let him be forgotten, as we take this time to remember him and thank him for his service and sacrifice.

On this day in Baltimore Police History 2 Jan 1925 we lost our brother Police Officer George D Hart to a motor vehicle accident based on the following:

Patrolman George D Hart of the Northern District was struck by automobile and injured seriously while on his motorcycle and crossing Charles Street at University Parkway. He was taken to Union Memorial Hospital where he was to be treated for multiple injuries to include a fractured skull, broken leg, and numerous internal injuries. His chances for survival were not good. The driver of the striking vehicle was Harry W. Rogers Jr., he was arrested at the scene and charged with, failing to give the right away to Pedestrian, and assaulting Officer Hart. He would later be released pending the outcome of Officer Hart’s medical treatment, (they were already contemplating the possibility of manslaughter charges and with the risk of over or under charging). The suspect, Rogers said, “A streetcar blocked his view preventing him from seeing Officer Hart, until it was too late, and he was right up on him.” - On 2 January 1925 Patrolman George D Hart died from the injuries received in the 16 November accident.

Officer George D. Hart was with the Baltimore Police Department for 6 months and was the first officer to die in the line of duty as the result of a motorcycle accident.

The following are excerpts from newspaper reports from 1924/1925

PATROLMAN RUN DOWN - 17 November 1924
Patrolman is Hurt Seriously when Struck by Machine

The Sun Paper wrote - Patrolman George D Hart, of the Northern District, was struck by an automobile and seriously injured while crossing Charles Street at University Parkway. He was taken to union Memorial hospital, where he was said to have suffered a broken leg and internal injuries.
The Suspect in this case Harry W. Rogers Jr, was arrested and charged with failing to give the right away to a pedestrian and with assaulting Officer Hart. Rodgers said the streetcar prevented him from seeing Officer Hart until it was too late.

The next time we would hear of this would be almost 46 days later, when the Sun Papers would repost the following: 

PATROLMAN DIES OF INJURIES - 2 January 1925
GEORGE D HART PATROLMAN DIES OF INJURIES
George D Hart was Hurt November 16, 1925 in a Traffic Accident
Patrolman George D Hart of Baltimore's Northern District died early this morning (2 Jan 1925) at Union Memorial Hospital from the injuries received on 16 November 1924 after his motorcycle collided with an automobile at University Parkway and Charles Street. That Automobile was being operated by Henry Rogers, Jr. Mr. Rodgers would be arrested at the time, but was the later released pending the outcome of Patrolman Hart's injuries. Officer Hart received a fractured skull, and numerous internal and external injuries in the collision. The suspect in this case, Mr. Rogers lives in the Carolina apartments

As his brother and sister members of the Baltimore Police Department, we will not let him be forgotten, For his service honored the City of Baltimore, and the Baltimore Police Department. May he rest in peace, and may God bless him.

‪#‎BPDNeverForget‬