Paul R. Bauer
Agency patch
Commander

Paul R. Bauer

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch February 13, 2018
Age 53
Tour of Duty 31 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Commander Paul Bauer was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a subject who had just run from other officers near the James R. Thompson Center, a state government office building.

Other officers had attempted to conduct a subject stop on the man in connection with a shooting that had occurred several days earlier. The subject fled from the officers. Commander Bauer, who was in the area for a meeting, observed the subject at the government building and attempted to stop him in a stairwell. The subject opened fire, killing Commander Bauer.

The subject was taken into custody moments later.

The man was convicted of Commander Bauer's murder and on October 28th, 2020, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Commander Bauer had served with the Chicago Police Department for 32 years and served as commander of the 018th District.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

31 years. You could have gone home.
Commander Bauer gave the Chicago Police Department 31 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Commander Bauer.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 13, 2018
Tour of Duty 31 yrs
Age 53
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Paul is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2018, 66 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 109th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Paul was 53. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Paul had served 31 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Paul among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Commander Paul R. Bauer

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch February 13, 2018

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 61-W

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