Frank H. Connolly
Agency patch
Police Officer

Frank H. Connolly

Great Falls Police Department — Great Falls, MT
Felonious
End of Watch August 2, 1920
Age 51
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 39 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Frank Connolly was shot and killed while questioning two suspicious people outside of the Arlington Hotel near the intersection of 5th Street SW and Fourth Avenue SW on the West Side. A month later the suspects shot and seriously wounded the Lincoln County sheriff when he attempted to arrest them in Eureka. The sheriff managed to return fire and wounded one suspect. Two days later both suspects were apprehended in Flathead County. One of the men was convicted of murder and sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison. He was released in 1931. Officer Connolly had served with the Great Falls Police Department for 11 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MT-F17B6191
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.
Police Officer Connolly gave the Great Falls Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Great Falls community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Connolly.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Great Falls, Cascade County, MT
Platform Identity gfpd.cascade.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 2, 1920
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 51
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Police Officer Frank H. Connolly 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 MT, 93 of 142 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.5% of this state's fallen. That is 65.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Great Falls Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Great Falls Police Department
4
of 6 officers
66.7% Felonious
MT — Statewide
93
of 142 officers
65.5% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Frank H. Connolly's cause is highlighted.

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

How Frank H. Connolly Compares

Age at Death
51
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
11
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Frank H. Connolly is highlighted in Aug.

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. Frank H. Connolly was killed by gun.

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

Incident Location