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Patrolman

James J. O'Brien

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch September 16, 1928

Age 45

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Badge 1544

The Vigil Panel 56 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 570

Incident

Patrolman James J. O'Brien was shot to death and his partner was critically wounded at 1:45 A.M. at the southwest corner of 63rd and Halsted Streets by an 25-year-old auto thief who was also wounded by O'Brien's partner. The officers came upon him as he was tampering with a car door lock. Although wounded, he escaped in a stolen car but was captured the same day in a doctor's office in Oak Lawn where he went for medical aid. On September 17th, 1928, he was held by the coroner to the grand jury, which indicted him for murder. The suspect, age 27, was convicted of Patrolman O'Brien's murder and sentenced to 30 years in prison on January 25th, 1929. He applied for clemency on April 8, 1939. He was released at some point between 1941 and 1943. The exact date is unknown. Patrolman O'Brien had served with the Chicago Police Department for six years and was assigned to the 15th District. He was survived by his wife and five sons. He was a World War I veteran.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-01C219BC
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman O'Brien gave the Chicago Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— 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 September 16, 1928

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 45

Badge Number 1544

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

James J. O'Brien served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman James J. O'Brien 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 97,759 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 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

396

of 571 officers

69.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious