William Franklin koger
Agency: Kansas City Police Department, MO
At the age of 53, Officer Koger was a 25 year veteran of the police department. Officer Koger had resigned from the department on July 30, 1910 but was recommissioned on July 31, 1913. During the hiatus from the department, Officer Koger worked as a house detective for the Hotel Baltimore.
On November 22, 1913, Officer Koger was on a stake out with two officers of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, near the railroad tracks at the Frisco crossing at 45th and Brighton. Missouri Pacific freight cars had been robbed several nights in a row, prior to the stakeout. When the five robbers were confronted by the three officers, Koger was accompanied by railroad officers C.M. Barger and W.H. Roulit, and a gun battle ensued. Officer Koger fired one shot, was shot in the neck and died on November 23, 1913 at 11:40 am at South Side Hospital. Governor Major offered a $200 reward for the arrest of the box car robbers who killed officer Koger.
He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth and three children.
Reflections:
Thank you for your sacrifice and inspiration. I first read about you in a family history book and learned something about your life, career, and your dedication which held strong up until the end. I thank you for what you did and for the inspiration it gave me to become a police officer myself. I think about the sacrifice you gave so far into your lengthy career and it reminds me to do my best in everything, in all I do. No matter how long it has been, what you did matters and will always mean something to the people you protected.
Detective D. Koger
Tempe Police Department
References:
Scott County Kicker (Benton Missouri), 13 December 1919 Page 2 (Provided by Newspapers.com)
www.odmp.org/officer/reflections/7668-patrolman-william-franklin-koger