The Cleveland Police Museum is honored to tell the stories of our Fallen Officers on the anniversary of their End of Watch.
Sergeant Charles H. Goetz was appointed to the Cleveland Police Department on January 1, 1899. On March 1, 1913, he was promoted to Sergeant.
At 1 am on May 6, 1916, two cars, both with their bright lights on, were headed northbound side by side on West 25th Street. Witnesses indicated that it appeared as though the cars were racing. Patrolman Isaac yelled at the drivers of the two cars further down the street as they passed by him, which apparently alerted Goetz to the problem. Goetz, who was on the west side of the street, stepped out into the street to approach the two oncoming cars. In his haste to handle this problem, Goetz did not see a car approaching southbound.
When Goetz stepped into the street, he was struck from behind by the oncoming southbound car. Goetz was transported to City Hospital, where he later died of his injuries. The death of Sgt. Goetz was ruled accidental, killed in the line of duty. Sergeant Goetz was survived by his wife, Bertha M. and two daughters, Ruth and Josephine, ages 9 and 5 at the time of their father’s death. He was buried on May 8, 1916 in a family plot at the Scranton Road Cemetery.
