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In Memory of those
officers who died
in the line of duty in
Burlington County.
‘WE
HONOR THOSE WHO MADE THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE’
Patrolman
George Gusrand
Burlington
City Police Department
On December 3, 1907.
Patrolman Gusrand responded to a reported burglary. He was shot and
killed during a foot chase. The suspect committed suicide during the
manhunt.
Patrolman
Thomas Rogan
Burlington
City Police Department
Patrolman Rogan was shot and
killed on July 4th, 1914 by a suspect later arrested and charged with
Manslaughter.
Warden William Harry King
Burlington County Sheriff's Department
Warden King was killed on
November 11, 1920, when a prisoner in the jail pretended to be sick. As
the warden went to give him some medicine, he was struck a number of times
with a poker used in the fireplace.
Sergeant John Divers
New
Jersey State Police
On January 19, 1930, an open
sore on Sergeant Divers’ finger came into contact with contaminated blood
from a person he was arresting. An infection developed causing him to be
hospitalized in mid-April and he died on May 2, 1930.
Sergeant Divers served 8 years
and 1 month with the New Jersey State Police. He was survived by his
wife. Sergeant Divers was 35 years old.
Frank A.
Trainor
New Jersey
State Police
At approximately 6:00 A.M. on
August 3, 1953, Sergeant Trainor had pulled-over a vehicle traveling south
on the New Jersey Turnpike, 15 miles south of Bordentown. As he was
returning to his troop car after securing the driver's license and
registration, Sergeant Trainor was struck by a 1953 Mack Truck. Sergeant
Trainor's body flew over the roof of the car he had pulled-over and landed
face-down in the shoulder of the road. He suffered a fractured left leg,
fractured ribs, fractured spine and a fractured skull. He was pronounced
dead at the scene.
Trooper George R. Dancy Jr.
New
Jersey State Police
On May 28, 1956 at 9:25 P.M.,
Trooper Dancy was traveling along Route 38 south in Mt. Laurel. An unknown
vehicle made a left turn from Route 38 into Hartford Road, cutting the
corner sharply. In doing so, it apparently crossed into the path of
Trooper Dancy's troop car, causing him to collide with another vehicle.
Trooper Dancy received a brush burn on his left cheek, a fractured collar
bone, a laceration of his left side and internal injuries. Trooper Dancy
was taken to Burlington County Hospital in Mt. Holly, where he died from
internal injuries. He served 1 year and 6 months with the New Jersey State
Police and was survived by his wife and his 3 year old daughter. He was 23
years old.
Patrolman
George Clayton Ayers
Moorestown
Police Department
Patrolman
Ayers was on routine patrol on January 28th, 1958 while going around a bend
in the road,
his patrol car struck a tree. Patrolman Ayers had just over a
year of service with the Moorestown Police Department. He was 35
years old, survived by his wife and three young children.
Patrolman Walter Kotch
Florence
Township Police Department
On April 15th, 1965 Patrolman
Kotch was escorting a funeral procession when his patrol car was hit on
the driver's side door. Patrolman Kotch suffered fatal injuries as a
result of the collision.
Patrolman Kotch was a six
year veteran of the Florence Police Department. He was 29 years old,
survived by his wife Joan, son Christopher and daughter Pamela.
Trooper Anthony Lukis
New
Jersey State Police
At 1:40 A.M. on May 4 , 966
Trooper Lukis stopped behind a vehicle that was parked at milepost 45 on
the northbound shoulder of the New Jersey Turnpike in Westampton. Trooper
Lukis struggled with another man between the Troop car and the parked car
which resulted in Trooper Lukis behing shot six times in the back and back
of the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. He was survived by his
wife, three sons, ages 2, 4 and 6, two daughters ages 8 and 3 months.
Officer
William C. Wurst
Hainesport
Township Police Department
On March 28th, 1975 Officer
William C. Wurst along with Patrolman Donald Aleshire of the Mount Holly
Police Department were shot and killed by a sniper. Officer John
Holmes, also of the Mount Holly Police Department, was wounded during the
same incident and suffered paralyzing injuries. He died 17 years
later from his injuries suffered that day.
Officer Wurst was a two year
veteran of the Hainesport Police Department. He also was a veteran
of the Vietnam War. He was 24 years old, survived by his parents,
sister and twin brother.
Donald R.
Aleshire
Mount Holly
Township Police Department
On March 28th, 1975 Patrolman
Donald Aleshire along with Officer William C. Wurst of the Hainesport
Police Department were shot and killed by a sniper. Officer John
Holmes, also of the Mount Holly Police Department, was wounded during the
same incident and suffered paralyzing injuries. He died 17 years
later from his injuries suffered that day.
Patrolman Aleshire had only
been with the Mount Holly Police Department three months after serving
with the Philadelphia Police Department. He was 30 years old,
survived by his expectant wife and daughter.
Thomas C.
Whitelock
Riverton
Borough Police Department
On
January 14th, 1976 Patrolman Whitelock responded to a second floor
apartment in Riverton to investigate the report of a naked suicidal
man with a knife that was attempting to cut his throat. Patrolman
Whitelock arrived on location and requested back up. A Palmyra
Borough police officer was off-duty and responded in his own personal
vehicle to back up Patrolman Whitelock. Once both officers were on
location they were met in the living room by the naked suspect holding a
knife, he had cut his genitals and was attempting to cut his throat.
The blood covered suspect ran down the back fire escape and was tackled by
both officers. Patrolman Whitelock managed to get one handcuff on
the suspect. At this point, the suspect ripped Patrolman Whitelock's
.357 Colt Phython from its holster and shot the other officer once in the
chest. The suspect then shot Patrolman Whitelock in the chest,
killing him. Patrolman Norcross then discharged his Colt .45 caliber
semi-automatic hitting the suspect all seven times point blank in the
chest killing him.
Over 2,000 officers attended
Patrolman Whitelock's funeral. They walked over two miles from the
funeral home to the cemetery in a heavy snowstorm to pay their respects.
Patrolman Whitelock was a
seven year veteran and the first Riverton Police Officer to die in
the line of duty. He was 30 years old.
Sergeant
Francis X Fullerton Sr.
Moorestown
Police Department
On April 3, 1979 several
gunman robbed a store in a neighboring county. The resulting
high-speed pursuit ended with the suspects crashing their car in
Moorestown. The suspects then fled on foot. Sergeant Fullerton
along with other officers began searching the area. Sgt. Fullerton
located one of the suspects and a gunfight ensued. Sergeant
Fullerton was mortally wounded and died two months later on June 1st,
1979.
The suspects were all
apprehended and sent to prison.
Sergeant Fullerton was a 24
year veteran of the Moorestown Police Department and was 48 years old,
survived by two sons. One of his sons, Francis Jr. was in the police
academy at the time of the incident.
Patrolman
John O. Holmes
Mount Holly
Township Police Department
On March 28th, 1975 Officer
John Holmes was shot by sniper and suffered paralyzing injuries. On
July 22, 1992, 17 years after the incident, he died from his injuries.
Patrolman Donald Aleshire along with Officer William C. Wurst of the
Hainesport Police Department were shot and killed by the sniper on that
day.
Patrolman Holmes was survived
by his wife and son.
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