Arthur J. Bower

Methuen Police Department — Methuen, MA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch August 1, 1923

Age 31

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 45 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 4

Incident

Patrolman Arthur Bower was shot and killed by burglary suspects. Patrolman Bower and another officer were sent to the western part of town, where it was reported that five men were breaking into a building on Lowell Boulevard. The officers found that the suspects had left the building, and the officers started toward Lawrence to try to locate them. A few miles away, they stopped a car without lights. While Patrolman Bower was talking to the driver, he was shot. Both officers emptied their revolvers at the suspects as they fled in their automobile. Patrolman Bower was a WWI Purple Heart veteran and had served with the Methuen Police Department before and after the war.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-DC203B7F
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Bower gave the Methuen Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Methuen community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Methuen Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Methuen, Essex County, MA

Platform Identity methpd.essex.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 1, 1923

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Arthur J. Bower served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Arthur J. Bower 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 42.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Methuen Police Department, 4 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 80% of this agency's fallen.

Methuen Police Department

of 5 officers

80% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious