Roll of Honor
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
- 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.
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
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable Donald Francis Adams 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 97,772 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 42.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Donald Francis Adams's cause is highlighted.
How Donald Francis Adams Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Donald Francis Adams is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Donald Francis Adams was killed by gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
0 officers from Chelmsford Police Department are honored on badge.nw.