Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant John Montague died as a result of a pulmonary embolism as a result of taking a promotional physical fitness test at the Massachusetts State House.
When he returned to his station after completing the test he complained to his supervisor that he had felt "a snap in his back." While at his home the next day he suffered a fatal heart caused by a pulmonary embolism.
A special investigation was introduced by the Massachusetts State Senate to investigate the Civil Service Commission due to Sergeant Montague's death and the injuries of five other Boston police officers who took the same test. It was determined that Sergeant Montague's death was caused by the physical test.
Sergeant Montague had served with the Boston Police Department for more than 24 years and was assigned to Division 4.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-38DBFDDC- 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
24 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Montague gave the Boston Police Department 24 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Montague.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant John Franklin Montague 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 MA, 59 of 469 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 12.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Boston Police Department, 22 of 106 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 20.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Franklin Montague's cause is highlighted.
How John Franklin Montague Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. John Franklin Montague is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
105 officers from Boston Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
