Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective William Hanson and Patrolman John Cosgrove were struck and killed by a train while patrolling the Jersey Central lines near the Communipaw Avenue Station in Jersey City, New Jersey.
The two officers, and a friend who sometimes accompanied them on patrol, were searching for a gang of thieves.
It is believed they saw a train coming on one track and stepped onto another track to get out of its way. They failed to see a train coming on the second track as well and all three were struck and killed. Their bodies were found a short time later by a train engineer on another train.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-95562645- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- September 9, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Hanson served with the Jersey Central Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Jersey City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Hanson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective William J. Hanson is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,787 officers honored here.
In NJ, 258 of 646 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.9% of this state's fallen. That is 39.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Jersey Central Railroad Police Department, 4 of 4 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William J. Hanson's cause is highlighted.
How William J. Hanson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. William J. Hanson is highlighted in Jul.
Incident Location
Where the Name Is Cut
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Jersey Central Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
