Roll of Honor

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Police Officer

John J. Boss

Oak Park Police Department — Oak Park, IL

Veteran → Accident

End of Watch April 19, 1921

Age 33

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Badge 310

The Vigil Panel 40 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 6

Incident

Police Officer John Boss was killed while chasing a speeding taxicab. Officer Boss and his partner chased a fleeing taxicab west on Madison Street from Lombard Avenue in excess of 50 mph. At Wisconsin Avenue, the cab quickly turned southbound. His partner, who was ahead, braked as he passed Wisconsin Avenue and began to turn around. Unable to stop, Officer Boss struck his partner's motorcycle and both men were thrown to the ground, unconscious. Officer Boss' motorcycle reportedly rolled several times and he was struck in the forehead by the handlebars. He died of his injuries 28 hours later. Officer Boss had served for several years on the police department before volunteering for military duty in WWI. Upon his return to Oak Park, on the recommendation of the chief and his staff, he was reappointed to the police department. Officer Boss was survived by a sister and three brothers. He was buried in Arlington Cemetery in Elmhurst.

Survivors

Officer Boss was survived by a sister and three brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-825BC018
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.
Police Officer Boss gave the Oak Park Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oak Park 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 Oak Park Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Oak Park, Cook County, IL

Platform Identity oakppd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 19, 1921

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 33

Badge Number 310

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

John J. Boss served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer John J. Boss 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 IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 26.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Oak Park Police Department, 4 of 7 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 57.1% of this agency's fallen.

Oak Park Police Department

of 7 officers

57.1% Accident

IL — Statewide

354

of 1,318 officers

26.9% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Accident