Dennis J. Laughlin

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Cardiac

End of Watch March 9, 1960

Age 33

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

The Vigil Panel 95 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 570

Incident

Patrolman Dennis Laughlin suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with an armed robbery suspect in an apartment at 1147 S. Whipple Street.

He and several other officers had been working a plainclothes detail at the end of an investigation that targeted five armed robbery suspects. The officers had arrested four of the suspects and were attempting to arrest the fifth suspect. As the officers broke through the man's door he reached for a gun and Patrolman Laughlin tackled him.

After subduing the man Patrolman Laughlin collapsed.

Patrolman Laughlin had served with the Chicago Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-9DC49AA0
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.
Patrolman Laughlin gave the Chicago Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Laughlin.

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

Agency

Department Chicago Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Chicago, Cook County, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 9, 1960

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Cause Detail Heart attack

Weapon Person

Patrolman Dennis J. Laughlin is one of 1 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In IL, 45 of 1,318 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.4% of this state's fallen. That is 3.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Chicago Police Department, 17 of 571 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

of 571 officers

3% Cardiac

IL — Statewide

of 1,318 officers

3.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Cardiac