Roll of Honor

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Constable

Donald Francis Adams

Chelmsford Police Department — Chelmsford, MA

Felonious

End of Watch July 19, 1927

Age 27

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 53 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Constable Adams was shot and killed by a man he ordered off a street car to investigate an extortion complaint a citizen had made against him. The street car motorman subdued the suspect and turned him over to the police. The suspect was sent to Bridgewater Hospital for the criminally insane.

Survivors

Constable Adams was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-B0A0BF77
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Constable Adams gave the Chelmsford Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chelmsford community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable Adams.

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

Agency

Department Chelmsford Police Department

Location Chelmsford, MA

Platform Identity chelpd.middlesex.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 19, 1927

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 27

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Committed

Constable Donald Francis Adams is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

Chelmsford Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald Francis Adams's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Donald Francis Adams Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Committed

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Donald Francis Adams is highlighted in Jul.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Donald Francis Adams was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518