Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Cornelius Cuttrell died as a result of contracting influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.
An outbreak occurred within the 74th Precinct. During that time, 17 officers became ill and were put on sick leave. Patrolman Cuttrell and Patrolman Lawrence Hennessey were both assigned to a booth inside the station when they both became severely ill.
Patrolman Cuttrell had served with the New York City Police Department for 13 years.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law EnforcementAlso known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job. The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen. Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Also known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.
The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen.
Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law Enforcement
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Patrolman Cornelius Cuttrell died on October 13, 1918 of influenza contracted in the line of duty. He was 38.
He is one of 201 officers honored here, and one of 42 at New York City Police Department.
The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people worldwide than the war that preceded it. Police officers worked it without vaccines, without antibiotics, and often without masks, enforcing quarantines, transporting the sick, and standing posts in cities where the dead outpaced the undertakers.
They caught it doing the job. There was no treatment to give them.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, daughter, and two sons.
In Our Keeping
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- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
No vaccine, no antibiotics, and you stood the post anyway.
Patrolman Cuttrell gave the New York City Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Cuttrell.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Cornelius Cuttrell is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NY, 629 of 2,147 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 29.3% of this state's fallen. That is 20.2 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At New York City Police Department, 521 of 1237 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 42.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Cornelius Cuttrell's cause is highlighted.
How Cornelius Cuttrell Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Cornelius Cuttrell is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1,236 officers from New York City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
