Clifford L. Cornish

Cincinnati Police Department — Cincinnati, OH

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch September 14, 1925

Age 25

Tour of Duty 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 50 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 105

Incident

Patrolman Clifford Cornish succumbed to gunshot wounds when he was shot while attempting to arrest a bootlegger and drug smuggler. On September 13, Patrolman Cornish was walking the two-man beat alone because his partner had taken leave that day. A program was in effect at that time to assure each policeman one day off a month. Patrolman Cornish and his partner had been working on cleaning up the corner of Clark and Harriet Streets of its bootleggers and narcotics dealers. He attempted to clear the corner of several loungers. Most of the loiterers moved on, but a bootlegger, drug peddler, and, at the time, an escaped prisoner from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, refused to comply. As Patrolman Cornish approached, the bootlegger swung at him, and Patrolman Cornish sidestepped the punch and knocked him to the ground. The bootlegger pulled a .38 caliber revolver and fired five times at Patrolman Cornish, striking him once through the visor of his cap just above his left eye. Patrolman Cornish's sidearm was still holstered. A bystander was shot in the left hip. The bootlegger ran down an alley and escaped. Patrolman Cornish was transported to General Hospital. Patrolman Cornish died the next day, September 14, becoming the sixth officer killed in the Fifth District in five years. They were able to apprehend the bootlegger and found the weapon used in the shooting of Patrolman Cornish, but the suspect was acquitted during trial. Patrolman Cornish was a United States Army WWI veteran and had served with the Cincinnati Police Department for only three months. He was survived by his wife, father, brother, and step-brother. He is buried at Vine Street Hill Cemetery.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, father, brother, and step-brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-EFC2D720
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Substitute Patrolman Cornish served with the Cincinnati Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH

Platform Identity cincpd.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 14, 1925

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Age 25

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Clifford L. Cornish served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Substitute Patrolman Clifford L. Cornish 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 97,756 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 Cincinnati Police Department, 63 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.4% of this agency's fallen.

Cincinnati Police Department

of 106 officers

59.4% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious