On April 3, 1972, 51-year-old Det. William Capers, a 19-year veteran of the Department assigned to the Queens Burglary-Larceny Squad, was on foot patrol in the 103 Precinct. Detective Capers and his partner, Det. Raymond Godley, were working in plainclothes near Jamaica Avenue.
They had just arrested three males in a nearby parking lot for possession of a gun and stolen goods. As the Detectives began to question the subjects, one male bolted away and ran onto nearby Jamaica Avenue. Det. Godley held two males, while Capers chased the runner. He caught the perp in front of a shoe store in a vestibule. Capers had his gun drawn.
As Capers struggled with the subject, a uniformed Officer nearby on traffic duty responded to the scene. Not knowing who Capers was, and seeing the gun, but not a shield, he fired a single shot, mortally wounding Det. Capers.
William R. Capers was appointed to the force on January 1, 1953. This incident prompted the Police Department to start the “Color of the Day” program, directing all non-uniformed personnel to wear a headband with the “color of the day” which could be recognized by all uniformed Officers who responded to a scene.
Det. William Capers was survived by his wife and son. He was the recipient of a Police Combat Cross for the part he played in a 1971 shoot-out in a Queens supermarket. At the time, he was off-duty in the store when three perps announced a hold-up. Det. Capers shot it out with the robbers. He killed one and helped arrest the other two. His medal was awarded posthumously on Medal Day, June 30, 1972.
On June 23, 1989, a plaque memorializing six fallen members of the service was installed at the 103 Precinct, one of whom was Det. Capers. In May of 2001, the 103 Precinct revamped their memorial and created a “Wall of Heroes” which honors Capers as one of their Officers who made the ultimate sacrifice for their Queens community.
