Fallen Officer Memorial

End of Watch: March 8, 1903
Age: 26
Tour of Duty: 3 Years
Incident Details: Gunfire

On Sunday, March 8, 1903, Officer Paul Mendelssohn, age 26, was riding on the North Main Street trolley, Car #66, during the fifty-sixth day of a railway labor strike. At 9:50 p.m., the trolley car reached the end of its route in the Bucks Hill section of Waterbury and was in the process of turning around for the return trip into the downtown area.

Four masked men boarded the train and simultaneously opened fire, shooting Officer Mendelssohn in the head, neck, chest, and arm. The trolley conductor fled the scene on foot as the men fired their handguns. Officer Mendelssohn fell backward into a seat on the trolley and died within moments.

End of Watch: August 7, 1913
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 3 Years
Incident Details: Electrocution

On August 7, 1913, at 8:00 p.m., Patrolman Daniel J. Lane was walking his beat when he observed that a street lamp located at the corner of Cooke and Grove Streets was not functioning. Patrolman Lane walked to a call box and notified the Desk Sergeant of the broken lamp.

By 10:33 pm, no one from Connecticut Light and Power arrived to repair the lamp so Patrolman Lane climbed the lamppost and attempted to repair the light himself. The lamppost collapsed and the 2200-volt wire that ran inside the lamppost electrocuted Patrolman Lane. Patrolman Lane also received a fractured skull from the lamppost falling on top of him.

End of Watch: August 2, 1920
Age: 39
Tour of Duty: 17 Years
Incident Details: Gunfire

On Monday, June 21, 1920, at 5:30 am, a man named Arthur Brouix of Biddeford, Maine entered Waterbury Police Headquarters stating he wanted to file a larceny complaint. Brouix reported that his twenty-three-year-old wife Georgiana Rheaume had stolen $650.00 from him and was planning on leaving the city. Since no detectives were on duty at that time, the desk officer told Brouix to return at 7:30 am and speak with the inspectors about his complaint.

Promptly at 7:30 am, Brouix returned to Police Headquarters and was interviewed by Inspector John F. Donahue, a seventeen-year veteran of the Police Department. After taking Brouix' complaint, Inspector Donahue and some other inspectors located Rheaume at the Waterbury train station where she and another man, who Brouix claimed was her new boyfriend, were attempting to board a train to leave the city. Inspector Donahue and the other inspectors returned Rheaume and the man to Police Headquarters.

Once at Police Headquarters, Rheaume told police she was not married to Brouix so Inspector Donahue asked Brouix to go home and obtain their marriage certificate. When Brouix returned home to get the marriage certificate, he also retrieved his pistol.

Upon returning to Police Headquarters, Brouix entered the Detective Bureau and observed that Inspector Donahue was taking a statement from Rheaume. Brouix was enraged and then drew his pistol and pointed it at Inspector Donahue, who attempted to calm Brouix and talk him into surrendering the pistol. Instead, Brouix shot Inspector Donahue in the chest, and then committed suicide with the same pistol.

Inspector Donahue was transported to Saint Mary's Hospital where a bullet was discovered lodged next to his spine. After six weeks in the hospital, Inspector Donahue succumbed to his injuries. Inspector Donahue was survived by his wife and four children.

End of Watch: May 2, 1925
Age: 36
Tour of Duty: 11 Years
Incident Details: Gunfire/Officer's Weapon

On Saturday, May 2, 1925, Patrolman Walter J. Stokes responded to a call of a domestic at a third-floor apartment of 827 Bank Street in the Brooklyn section of Waterbury. Upon entering the apartment, Patrolman Stokes was attacked by Ernest J. Bercier, the husband in the domestic dispute. Bercier attempted to gain control of Patrolman Stokes' revolver.

During the struggle for the revolver, Patrolman Stokes managed to shoot Bercier in the hand, however, Bercier won control of the revolver and shot Patrolman Stokes. Bercier then fled the scene but was apprehended by Patrolman Michael Carroll who was on his way to back up Patrolman Stokes.

Patrolman Stokes was transported to Saint Mary's Hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Patrolman Stokes was survived by his wife.

End of Watch: November 19, 1930
Age: 41
Tour of Duty: 11 Years
Incident Details: Struck by Vehicle - Intoxicated Operator

Shortly before midnight on November 19, 1930, Patrolman Matthew McNally and his partner Joseph Petit were working a two-man car and were assigned to investigate a two-car motor vehicle accident on East Main Street. While both officers stood in the roadway investigating the accident, a car being driven by Adrial L. Wolff struck Patrolman McNally almost completely severing McNally's left leg.

Patrolman McNally was transported to Saint Mary's Hospital where he died of his injuries at 0320 hours. The driver of the striking vehicle, Wolff, was found to be intoxicated and subsequently arrested for DWI.

End of Watch: July 20, 1941
Age: 60
Tour of Duty: 3 Years
Incident Details: Struck by Vehicle

On Sunday, July 20, 1941, Officer John Palmatier was called in on his night off to direct traffic at the intersection of West Main Street and Judd Street because of congestion caused by the fireworks display for the American Legion's National Convention. 

At 2130 hours a vehicle being driven by Wilby High School teacher Maurice Griffin, struck Officer Palmatier, throwing the officer 20 feet. Officer Palmatier was transported to Waterbury Hospital but died within the hour from his injuries. Officer Palmatier was survived by his wife.

End of Watch: November 22, 1958
Age: 54
Tour of Duty: 27 Years
Incident Details: Heart Attack/Duty-Related Illness

On Saturday, November 22, 1958, Officer Romano suffered a fatal heart attack while walking his beat in Fulton Park on Cooke Street. Officer Romano had served as a patrolman at the park for one year, and prior to that patrolled Hamilton Park in the city's East End.

Officer Romano was survived by his wife. 

End of Watch: November 18, 1961
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 11 Years
Incident Details: Heart Attack/Duty-Related Illness

Shortly after 1700 hours on Saturday, November 18, 1961, a fire broke out at the Dora Drazen Dress Shop at 11 Leavenworth Street, located in the heart of downtown Waterbury. Patrolman Leonard LaManna, an eleven-year veteran, responded to the scene along with four other officers for traffic control.

While directing traffic, Patrolman LaManna suffered a heart attack and collapsed in the street. He was rushed to Saint Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury where he was pronounced deceased.

End of Watch: December 18, 1992
Age: 34
Tour of Duty: 8 Years
Incident Details: Gunfire

At approximately 4:00 AM December 18, 1992, Patrolman Walter Williams, an eight-year veteran, was on patrol in his patrol car in the North End of Waterbury. Williams stopped his marked patrol car, number 23, in the intersection of Orange and Ward Streets after observing two African-American males conducting what appeared to be a hand-to-hand narcotics transaction. 

Patrolman Williams exited his cruiser and detained the two men. Patrolman Williams began to conduct a pat-down of the men. One of the men later identified as Richard Reynolds purposely bumped his body into Williams in an attempt to determine if Patrolman Williams was wearing body armor. When Reynolds determined that Patrolman Williams was, in fact, wearing body armor, Reynolds produced a Bersa .380 caliber pistol and shot Patrolman Williams behind his right ear. 

These two men then fled the scene on foot leaving Patrolman Williams lying in the street but were found later in a nearby house. A passerby through the area found Patrolman Williams and used the radio in Patrolman Williams’ cruiser to call for help. Patrolman Williams was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Reynolds was found guilty of Patrolman Williams' death and remains incarcerated.

Patrolman Williams was survived by his wife, who was 8-months pregnant with their third child at the time, and three children.

End of Watch: December 13, 1997
Age: 45
Tour of Duty: 1 Year
Incident Details: Duty-related Illness

On Friday, November 19, 1982, Officer Bruce Hanley was dispatched to a fight on Cherry Street in Waterbury. The complainant stated four youths were observed on Camp Terrace and one youth began to run away. Officer Hanley began a foot pursuit. Shortly thereafter, a call was received of an officer down. Units responded and located Officer Hanley face down with no vital signs.

CPR was initiated and he was taken to the hospital. No physical injuries were observed. Officer Hanley lapsed into a coma and was comatose until his death, 15 years later, on Saturday, December 13, 1997.