John Harold Tennyson

Louisville Police Department — Louisville, KY

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 14, 1949

Age 30

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 85 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 90

Incident

Patrolman John Tennyson was shot and killed in a running gun battle with the notorious gangster when he interrupted a robbery at 9:15 pm. Patrolman Tennyson had stopped by a downtown restaurant at the 2500 block of East Burnett Avenue to see his wife when the incident occurred. The suspect was captured by a former Marine when he ran into the backyard of the Marine's home right after he killed Patrolman Tennyson. The suspect, known as public enemy #1 by the FBI, was wanted in Kentucky, Tennesee, Kansas, and Ohio for several armed robberies and burglaries. He had escaped three times from different jails and almost escaped from the Louisville Jail after being confined there for killing Patrolman Tennyson. He was so good at escaping that two guards with shotguns were assigned to watch him 24 hours a day. He was convicted of Patrolman Tennyson's murder and executed in the electric chair on February 1, 1952. Patrolman Tennyson was a U.S. Navy veteran of WWII and had served with the Louisville Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-FE112485
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

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.
Patrolman Tennyson gave the Louisville Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Louisville 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 Louisville Police Department

Location Louisville, KY

Platform Identity lpd.jefferson.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 14, 1949

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1952

Military Service

John Harold Tennyson served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman John Harold Tennyson 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 KY, 755 of 983 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 76.8% of this state's fallen. That is 22.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Louisville Police Department, 51 of 91 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 56% of this agency's fallen.

Louisville Police Department

of 91 officers

56% Felonious

KY — Statewide

755

of 983 officers

76.8% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious