Roll of Honor

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Officer

Johnnie Tillman Hartwell

Dallas Police Department — Dallas, TX

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch November 10, 1971

Age 32

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Badge 3155

The Vigil Panel 109 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 94

Incident

Officer Johnnie Hartwell was shot and killed after he and his training officer observed a truck strike a utility pole at the intersection of Meyers Street and Ash Lane. Believing the men were intoxicated, the officers asked the men to exit the vehicle. Unbeknownst to them, two of the men had just robbed the third man and planned to kill him. One of the two suspects opened fire on the officers, fatally wounding Officer Hartwell and wounding his training officer. The training officer emptied his revolver hitting the suspect three times as he ran, leaving him in serious condition. The second suspect just stood in one spot during the entire incident. He was only charged with robbery. On September 19, 1972, the killer was sentenced to 999 years in prison. Officer Hartwell was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Dallas Police Department for three months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-2E12ECBD
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.
Officer Hartwell served with the Dallas Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Dallas 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 Dallas Police Department

Location Dallas, TX

Platform Identity dpd.dallas.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 10, 1971

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Age 32

Badge Number 3155

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Sentenced to 999 years

Military Service

Johnnie Tillman Hartwell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Officer Johnnie Tillman Hartwell 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Dallas Police Department, 55 of 95 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.9% of this agency's fallen.

Dallas Police Department

of 95 officers

57.9% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious