John E. Costello

Omaha Police Department — Omaha, NE

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch May 30, 1961

Age 33

The Vigil Panel 96 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 24

Incident

Officer John Costello was killed in a motorcycle accident while on patrol. His motorcycle collided with a car at the intersection of 48th Street and Center Street. He remained unconscious from the time of the accident until his death nine days later. Officer Costello was a U.S. Army veteran of WWII.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NE-3ECA08EE
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. John is one person.

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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.
Officer Costello served with the Omaha Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Omaha 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 Omaha Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Omaha, Douglas County, NE

Platform Identity opd.douglas.ne.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 30, 1961

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

John E. Costello served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer John E. Costello is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In NE, 36 of 151 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.8% of this state's fallen. That is 23.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Omaha Police Department, 3 of 25 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 12% of this agency's fallen.

Omaha Police Department

of 25 officers

12% Accident

NE — Statewide

of 151 officers

23.8% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident