The Cleveland Police Museum is honored to tell the stories of our Fallen Officers on the anniversaries of their End of Watch.
Ernest Lawrence Ford was appointed a Cleveland Police Officer on January 19, 1919 and assigned Badge Number 41.
On September 19, 1928, 6:30 pm, Officer Ernest Ford completed his shift and was on his way home with his wife. While driving on Scoville Avenue, he became aware of an all too familiar odor. Unable to just drive on, he advised his wife to wait in the car while he checked something out.
After about fifteen minutes, his wife heard several shots ring out. She got out of the car and went into a yard at 3314 Scoville, where she discovered her husband, Officer Ford lying on the sidewalk. She immediately called the police. The investigating officers rushed Ford to Charity Hospital, where he died at 7:55 pm.
During the subsequent inquiry, a still was discovered in one of the two houses on the Scoville Avenue lot. After considerable investigation and the interviewing of many witnesses, some of whom gave conflicting testimony, Sam Costanzo was arrested and charged with first degree murder. Mr. Costanzo was tried and convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to life.
Patrolman Ford was survived by his wife Pearl and was laid to rest in his hometown of Uniontown, Pennsylvania.