Johnnie Tillman Hartwell
Agency patch
Officer

Johnnie Tillman Hartwell

Dallas Police Department — Dallas, TX
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch November 10, 1971
Age 32
Tour of Duty 3 mo
Badge 3155
The Vigil Panel 109 ›
Gender Male

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
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Johnnie is one person.

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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

Type 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

Military Service

Johnnie Tillman Hartwell served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Johnnie Tillman Hartwell is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,460 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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
55
of 95 officers
57.9% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,460
of 2,421 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Johnnie Tillman Hartwell's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Johnnie Tillman Hartwell Compares

Age at Death
32
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
0.2
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Johnnie Tillman Hartwell is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Johnnie Tillman Hartwell was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Johnnie Tillman Hartwell served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

Visit Johnnie Tillman Hartwell’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.