Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman John Carpenter died as the result of an injury and infection to his hand sustained during a struggle with a prisoner two weeks earlier. His hand received a cut when he struck the prisoner in the teeth. A serious infection set in which required surgery to his hand and arm.
He died as a result of the infection at Baptist Hospital.
Patrolman Carpenter had served with the Louisville Police Department for 11 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-1CD9715F- 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.
Patrolman Carpenter gave the Louisville Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Louisville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Carpenter.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman John Wesley Carpenter is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In KY, 21 of 983 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 2.1% of this state's fallen. That is 7 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Louisville Police Department, 3 of 91 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 3.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Wesley Carpenter's cause is highlighted.
How John Wesley Carpenter Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. John Wesley Carpenter is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
90 officers from Louisville Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
