John Hipwell

Brooklyn Police Department — New York, NY

Felonious

End of Watch October 9, 1866

Age 42

Tour of Duty 29 yrs

The Vigil Panel 3 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Patrolman Hipwell was shot and killed while walking his beat in an area of Williamsburgh. There has been several burglaries in the area, so additional officers were assigned to the area. After briefly talking to another Patrolman at 0330 hours, Patrolman Hipwell began to patrol again. A short time later the other Patrolman heard a gunshot and found Patrolman Hipwell with a gunshot wound through his heart.

Patrolman Hipwell was assigned to the 45th, the present day New York City Police Department 90th Precinct.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NY-DF58A891
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

160 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Hipwell gave the Brooklyn Police Department 29 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Brooklyn Police Department

Location New York, NY

Platform Identity bpd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 9, 1866

Tour of Duty 29 yrs

Age 42

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Patrolman John Hipwell 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 NY, 754 of 2,147 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 35.1% of this state's fallen. That is 19.1 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Brooklyn Police Department, 6 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Brooklyn Police Department

of 9 officers

66.7% Felonious

NY — Statewide

754

of 2,147 officers

35.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious