New Brunswick Police Department, New Jersey
End of Watch: Sunday, December 7, 1856
Age: 49
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Drowned
Date of Incident: December 7, 1856
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Police Officer William Van Arsdale drowned after falling into an ice-covered canal while making his rounds of the docks and coal yards.
It is believed that he was attempting to maneuver around a fence when he fell through the ice at approximately 2:00 am. His body was located the next day after a worker noticed a hole in the ice and a hat frozen into the ice nearby.
Officer Van Arsdale was survived by his wife and six children.