Arthur Swanson
Agency patch
Park Police Officer

Arthur Swanson

Accident
End of Watch May 21, 1936
Age 39
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Badge 547
The Vigil Panel 71 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Park Police Officer Arthur Swanson succumbed to injuries sustained one week earlier when his police motorcycle struck a slick spot on Michigan Avenue at 36th Street. Another policeman who was riding next to him also crashed and was seriously injured. Patrolman Swanson had served with the Chicago Park District Police Department for 10 years. The Chicago Park District Police Department was disbanded in 1957. Remaining officers were transferred to the Chicago Police Department through an intergovernmental agreement.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-EF9A8D9A
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.
Park Police Officer Swanson gave the Chicago Park District Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Park Police Officer Swanson.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, IL
Platform Identity cpdpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 21, 1936
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Age 39
Badge Number 547
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Park Police Officer Arthur Swanson is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 26.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Chicago Park District Police Department, 5 of 13 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 38.5% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Park District Police Department
5
of 13 officers
38.5% Accident
IL — Statewide
354
of 1,318 officers
26.9% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Arthur Swanson's cause is highlighted.

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

How Arthur Swanson Compares

Age at Death
39
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
10
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Arthur Swanson is highlighted in May.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location