Prev Next
Joseph Patrick Campbell
Sergeant

Joseph Patrick Campbell

Royal Ulster Constabulary GC — NIR
Felonious
United Kingdom flag Northern Ireland flag
End of Watch February 25, 1977
Age 48
The Vigil Panel 259 · Column 1 · Line 17 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 468

Incident

On the evening of his murder he received two telephone calls at home, the nature of which he didn’t share with his family. After the second call, about 8:30pm, he left his home to walk the short distance to Cushendall Police Station where his colleague was on duty.

Sergeant Campbell had elected to wear his personal protection sidearm, which was unusual for him. He remained in the station talking with his colleague until shortly before 9:00pm, when the Constable finished his duties for the evening. Sergeant Campbell saw him off the premises and secured the main gates to the compound.

At approximately 9:00pm at least one shot was heard by a number of people in Cushendall and, soon after, a member of the public found Sergeant Campbell on the ground outside the main gates to the Police Station. He had sustained a gunshot wound to his head and was conveyed to hospital but died without regaining consciousness.

At the time of Sergeant Campbell’s death Cushendall Police Station operated limited opening hours between 9:00am and 11:00am and 5:00pm and 7:00pm. These hours were to facilitate members of the public attending the station while also providing Sergeant Campbell and a Constable, recently posted to the area, the capacity to pursue other policing duties.

A Donegal-born Catholic, he was posted to the Glens of Antrim in 1963 and stationed in Cushendall, the town in which he lived with his family. Before his murder in 1977 he told Denis Murray, a Special Branch officer, that he feared his fellow officers whom he suspected of corruption, were plotting to kill him.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtqxbwjgbmy4cwn6bb5d0
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Joseph. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Campbell served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Campbell.

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

Agency

Department Royal Ulster Constabulary GC
Location NIR
Platform Identity ruc.bfs.nir.gb.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 25, 1977
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Homicide - Shot

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 1,170 officers killed feloniously in United Kingdom, 30.9% of the 3,791 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
  4. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1977, 18 officers in United Kingdom were killed feloniously, the 12th heaviest of 216 years on record. The heaviest was 1941, with 167.

Every year on record · United Kingdom
II

Who

Joseph was 48. Of the 1,048 killed feloniously in United Kingdom whose age is recorded, half were between 28 and 44; the middle age was 36.

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

When

February holds 6.4% of these deaths in United Kingdom; May holds the most, 12.6%. Fridays: 13.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 30.9% of all 3,791 deaths in United Kingdom, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Royal Ulster Constabulary GC has at least 120 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Across the years

Sergeant Joseph Patrick Campbell

Royal Ulster Constabulary GC · End of Watch February 25, 1977

Where the Name Is Cut

↑