Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable Francis DeLong was shot and killed while attempting to serve a warrant on a man. The man had been arrested by the constable several times in the past and had just returned to Joliet from Chicago.
Constable DeLong was notified of the man's return and went to the man's mother's home to arrest him. The suspect had previously stated that he would shoot the constable if he tried to arrest him again. When Constable DeLong entered the home the man shot him once, knocking him to the ground, and then shot him a two more times.
The suspect left the scene but then turned himself in later in the day. He confessed to murdering Constable DeLong and stated his only regret was that he hadn't murdered his grandmother too.
On March 6, 1897, the suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to 99 years in prison. In 1924 he escaped but returned voluntarilly two years later because he said his conscience bothered him. He was paroled May 21, 1954, at age 81.
Constable DeLong had served as a constable for 4 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four grown children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-47EF73C0- 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
130 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable DeLong gave the Joliet Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Joliet community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable Francis DeLong 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Joliet Police Department, 5 of 8 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Francis DeLong's cause is highlighted.
How Francis DeLong Compares
Offender Outcome
Paroled in 1954
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Francis DeLong is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Francis DeLong was killed by handgun; .28 caliber.
Others Who Wore This Badge
7 officers from Joliet Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
