In a gesture of remembrance for a trailblazing figure in the city’s law enforcement history, Officer William McDuff was commemorated with a street topper at a Dallas intersection. The topper is a symbolic nod to his service and sacrifice. As the Dallas Police Department noted in a social media post, McDuff made history as the first African American hired by the force in 1896.

Appointed as a "special officer," McDuff was tasked to keep peace during church services in the Stringtown area, now known as Deep Ellum. The Dallas Police Department's tribute on social media recounts that after only two months of walking his beat, tragedy struck on Christmas Day in 1896. He was the first African American officer killed in the line of duty, shot and killed by one of two young men, culminating in a week following an arrest he conducted. His legacy, marked at the corner of Boll Street and Woodall Rodgers Freeway, now carries his story forward, reminding us of the service and sacrifices woven into the fabric of Dallas' historic law enforcement tapestry.

McDuff’s addition to the police roster marked a significant moment in the city’s history. At a time when segregation was the law, his tenure highlighted the complexities of race, duty, and justice. While his tenure was short-lived, the impact of having an African American officer in uniform during such a fraught period spoke volumes. Decades later, this honor refocuses on his place in history, which may have been overlooked for too long.