Officer Francis Stransky

Officer Francis Stransky 
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On this day in Baltimore Police History 10 January 1964, we lost our brother, Officer Francis Stransky, to injury or illness based on the following:

1964 would become one of the most violent years in the history of the Baltimore Police Department. By year’s end, five officer’s lives would end in the line of duty, and this day, 1964, would be the day that kicked them all off; it would be the day we would lose the first of those five officers.

Officer Stransky was a five-year veteran; he was an aggressive officer who worked his beat, knew everyone, and did his job by the book. It was coming up at 6 o'clock, maybe a quarter of an hour, when Officer Stransky was in the 500 block of Ensor St. and came across a 22-year-old wise guy by the name of Larry G. Wadsworth. Wadsworth was acting disorderly and refused to cease his actions and move on. When told he was being placed under arrest, he felt it was up to him to resist that arrest and that the officer wouldn’t be able to subdue him. What he didn’t know was that Stransky was tough, and he knew the laws, so he used just the amount of force he was allowed by law, an amount of force determined by the amount of resistance shown by Wadsworth. So Officer Stransky followed the rules to the letter, and when he tried to subdue Wadsworth and found he was no match, he followed the progression of force going from hand-to-hand to the introduction of his Espantoon. A few jabs and a strike or two from the stick, and Wadsworth tapped out. Wadsworth was ready to stop by Mercy Hospital on the way to men’s detention, and that’s just where he was taken. While at Mercy, he was quickly treated for the lumps he took, and off the two men walked to the Central District Police Station, where he would be booked for disorderly conduct, assault, and resisting arrest.

While Wadsworth was waiting in one of the holding cells, Stransky was in the roll call room. He began feeling odd—something between dizzy and lightheaded—and before he could call for help, he would collapse to the floor.

Officer Stransky would die before anyone really understood what was happening with him. 22-year-old Wadsworth came in on what would have been minor charges. But before he knew what was going on in the fight, he decided to put up against that arrest, and against the officer's authority would have him catching another charge. But worse than the charge, it would make him a murderer. Because in addition to a simple disturbance of the peace and resisting charges, Wadsworth was now being charged with the assault and manslaughter that caused this patrolman’s death.

Behind Stransky’s death, we would see four more fallen officers by 1964's years end, those would be officers Claude Profili, Walter Matthys, Teddy Brafford, and Sgt. Jack Cooper. From an officer with less than a week on the streets to an officer with 17 years on the streets, each was a man of valor; each was a loss that to this day is felt deeply.

Francis R. Stransky, a 39-year-old husband and father of two. A policeman in the Central District for five years, Francis enjoyed patrolling the area around Cicero’s and the Belair market. He liked the people in the area, and he liked seeing the rich history of Baltimore. He also liked to grab a quick bite to eat in the Belair Market and the brotherhood he would find in the Baltimore Police Department.

As we take this time to remember him and thank him for his service and sacrifice,. We, his brothers and sisters of the Baltimore Police Department, will not let him be forgotten. God Bless and rest in peace.

#BPDNeverForget

Patrolman, 39, Dies After Subduing Man

Jan 11, 1964

Patrolman Francis Stransky, 39, of the Central District collapsed and died after subduing a 23-year-old maintenance man in the 500 block of Endor Street last night. Police said the patrolman was involved in an altercation with the man, subdued him, escorted him for treatment to Mercy Hospital, and took his prisoner to the Central District station before collapsing. He was pronounced dead at 6:55 p.m., and police said an autopsy was scheduled. The man was held for investigation

Man Charged With Murder

Jan 12, 1964

A 22-year-old man was charged with homicide yesterday in the heart attack death of 39-year-old Central District Patrolman Francis Stransky. Police charge. Larry G Wadsworth of the 1500 block of Gorsuch Ave. with homicide late yesterday following their investigation into the death Friday night of Patrolman Francis Stransky Patrolman Stransky became involved in an altercation shortly before 6 p.m. Friday in the 500 block of Ensor Street, police said. He was struck at least once in the process, but subdued his assailant and brought him to Mercy Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The patrolman then took his prisoner to the central district station to book him. The policeman collapsed in the assembly room at the station and was pronounced dead at Mercy Hospital at 6:55 p.m. The autopsy performed yesterday showed patrolman Stransky died of a heart attack. Police said Wadsworth was then charged with assaulting the police officer and causing his death.

• 2022-12-28 - 05:45:55 - Agent Michael Joseph Cowdery, Jr.
• 2022-12-28 - 10:11:30 - Benjamin Franklin Kenney
• 2022-12-29 - 04:13:54 - Calvin McCleese
• 2018-07-13 - 04:05:49 - Capt. Harvey Von Harten