The Cleveland Police Museum is honored to tell the stories of our Fallen Officers on the anniversary of their End of Watch.
Detective Edward Butler was appointed to the Cleveland Police Department on June 1, 1924. Before joining the force, Detective Butler was a patrolman for four years in the City of Shaker Heights.
On November 2, 1929, Mrs. Triplett called police, stating she feared her husband Robert was going to kill her. Upon arrival, police found Robert Triplett leaning against a pole with his hands in his pockets. As Butler proceeded to frisk him, the Triplett brushed him off and pulled a revolver from his pocket.
Butler chased Triplett into a nearby store. The other officers heard the two men struggling, gun shots and Butler yelling “He got me!” Butler was rushed to Charity Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
Response time for officers to the crime scene was aided by radios that had been installed in the squad cars. After seeing how successful they were, the entire force was equipped with radios in their cars.
Detective Butler resided at 3340 West 17th Street in Cleveland and was survived by his wife Elizabeth and twenty- month-old daughter Lois. His funeral was held at Blessed Sacrament Church. The funeral procession started at Butler’s home and included members of the Knights of Columbus, to which Butler had belonged.
