Daniel J. Hayes
Agency patch
Chief of Police

Daniel J. Hayes

Ansonia Police Department — Ansonia, CT
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch December 27, 1880
Age 34
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
The Vigil Panel 6 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Chief of Police Daniel Hayes was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect. He had been summoned by the suspect's father who had asked Chief Hayes to arrest the man for discharging a pistol in a saloon. Chief Hayes located the man near the Railroad Hotel in the downtown area. As he attempted to arrest the man a struggle ensued and Chief Hayes was shot in the stomach. Chief Hayes succumbed to his injuries four days later. The suspect was found guilty of his murder and executed in 1882. Chief Hayes became the first police chief of Ansonia when the police department was created earlier that year. He was survived by his wife and three children. He was a Union Civil War Veteran having served as a private with the 3rd Connecticut Light Artillery Battery from September, 1864, until the end of the war in 1865.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CT-278AC272
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.
Chief of Police Hayes gave the Ansonia Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Ansonia 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

Type Police Department
Location Ansonia, CT
Platform Identity apd.naugatuck.ct.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 27, 1880
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 34
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Daniel J. Hayes served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Chief of Police Daniel J. Hayes 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 CT, 74 of 169 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.8% of this state's fallen. That is 43.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Ansonia Police Department
1
of 1 officers
100% Felonious
CT — Statewide
74
of 169 officers
43.8% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Daniel J. Hayes's cause is highlighted.

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

How Daniel J. Hayes Compares

Age at Death
34
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
1
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Daniel J. Hayes is highlighted in Dec.

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. Daniel J. Hayes was killed by handgun.

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

Incident Location

Military Service

Daniel J. Hayes served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Daniel J. Hayes’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Ansonia Police Department are honored on badge.nw.