Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Jose A. Maceira

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch May 1, 1977

Age 33

Tour of Duty 9 mo

The Vigil Panel 118 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 105

Incident

Patrolman Jose Maceira succumbed to complications of a gunshot wound sustained 18 months earlier while struggling with a suspect behind 8 Humphrey Place in Dorchester.

He and his partner had stopped two people for trespassing on railroad tracks. During the encounter the two subjects began struggling with the officers. As Patrolman Maceira struggled with one of the men the other man was able to grab his service revolver out of its holster and shot him in the jaw and neck.

The wound caused severe injuries to this throat and vocal cords and left him disabled. During his ensuing recovery he was only able to whisper and had extreme difficulty swallowing. As a result of his inability to swallow, he choked to death on a piece of food during his recovery. Both men were arrested.

On October 21, 1975, one, 23, was convicted of attempted murder and sentenced to 15 to 20 years. The other man, 31, was convicted of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and sentenced to 18 months.

Patrolman Maceira was a U.S. Navy veteran of the Vietnam War. He had graduated from the Boston Police Department's academy only three weeks prior to being shot.

Survivors

He is survived by his son and sister, who worked as a civilian with the Boston Police Department.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-DCE73A7E
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. Jose 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.
Patrolman Maceira served with the Boston Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Boston Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Roxbury Crossing, Suffolk County, MA

Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 1, 1977

Tour of Duty 9 mo

Age 33

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Jose A. Maceira served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Jose A. Maceira 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 42.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Boston Police Department, 45 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.5% of this agency's fallen.

Boston Police Department

of 106 officers

42.5% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious