Roll of Honor
Incident
As he went to assist a colleague who had just been shot and wounded while investigating two men acting suspiciously outside Leeds Minster in Kirkgate, Sergeant Speed confronted one of the men and was shot through the neck and killed.
John was posthumously awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Brave Conduct.
Sergeant Speed’s funeral took place at Leeds Parish Church, only yards from where he was killed.
He was survived by his wife and their ten-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and their ten-year-old daughter and nine-year-old son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-GB-WYP-DAE4F5B8- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 8, 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.
Sergeant Speed served with the West Yorkshire Police.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Speed.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant John Richard Speed 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 ENG, 702 of 2,827 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 24.8% of this state's fallen. That is 29.4 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At West Yorkshire Police, 3 of 16 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 18.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John Richard Speed's cause is highlighted.
How John Richard Speed Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. John Richard Speed is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.
Others Who Wore This Badge
15 officers from West Yorkshire Police are honored on badge.nw.
