William Flood

William F. Flood lived a life of service. A United States Marine Corps veteran who went on to serve with the New York City Police Department, Flood brought commitment and discipline from his military experience into his work protecting the city. Colleagues and memorial records list him as assigned to Patrol Borough Queens and identify him by badge number 5517. He was 37 years old at the time of his death.

Those public records note that Flood was off duty in December 1977 when he encountered a dangerous situation in Harlem. Rather than turning away, he stepped forward to intervene — an action consistent with the character later described by fellow officers and in memorials. He was fatally wounded during the confrontation on December 21, 1977. While the circumstances of his death are part of the public record, they do not fully describe the man: the citations that remember him first record his service, his status as a Marine veteran, and his role in the NYPD.

Because no family-published obituary or funeral-home notice matching his exact name and date of death was located in the public obituary archives consulted, this remembrance focuses on verified facts and the dignity of his life. Memorials and law-enforcement honor rolls list Flood among officers who lost their lives in the line of duty and preserve his name so that his service is not forgotten. These official and community sources emphasize his duty, his sacrifice, and the respect of colleagues who continue to remember him.

This page honors William F. Flood as a person who served both in uniform and in the community. Though public records about his private life, family, and early years are limited in accessible sources, what is clear is that he was a veteran and an active police officer whose life was cut short while he sought to protect others. May his service be remembered with respect and gratitude.