Anna Hart
Agency patch
Police Matron

Anna Hart

Felonious
End of Watch July 24, 1916
Age 45
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 31 ›
Gender Female

Incident

Police Matron Anna Hart was killed after being struck on the head with an iron bedpost at the Hamilton County Jail. The inmate who struck her was attempting to get her keys in his attempt to escape through the women's ward of the jail. The suspect was sentenced to death and electrocuted on February 6, 1917. Matron Hart had served with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office for six years and is thought to be the first female officer killed in the line of duty in the United States. She was survived by her three sisters and a brother. She is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Survivors

She was survived by her three sisters and a brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-OH-2CECA9A8
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Matron Hart gave the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Matron Hart.

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

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH
Platform Identity hcso.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 24, 1916
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 45
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Person

Police Matron Anna Hart is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 57.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 13 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 46.2% of this agency's fallen.

Hamilton County Sheriff's Office
6
of 13 officers
46.2% Felonious
OH — Statewide
572
of 991 officers
57.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Anna Hart's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Anna Hart Compares

Age at Death
45
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
6
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Anna Hart is highlighted in Jul.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Anna Hart was killed by person.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909