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Joseph P. McGovern
Agency patch
Police Officer

Joseph P. McGovern

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department — St. Louis, MO
Felonious
United States flag Missouri flag
End of Watch November 11, 1928
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
The Vigil Panel 56 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 175

Incident

Police Officer Joseph McGovern was struck and killed in a chain reaction accident started by a drunk driver. The drunk driver struck a vehicle at the intersection of Arsenal Street and Iowa Street, which then struck Officer McGovern. The drunk driver was arrested and charged with manslaughter.

Survivors

Officer McGovern had been with the agency for 21 years and was survived by his wife and nine children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

21 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer McGovern gave the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the St. Louis community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer McGovern.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department
Type Police Department
Location St. Louis, City of Saint Louis, MO
Platform Identity stlopd.saintlouis.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 11, 1928
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1928, 201 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 13th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph had served 21 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was automobile, in 4.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Joseph P. McGovern

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch November 11, 1928

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 35-W

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