Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Joey Cali was shot and killed by a sniper in front of 2103 West Lake Street while writing a parking ticket at about 9:30 pm. He was in the process of writing a citation on a 1966 Chevrolet for being illegally parked at a bus stop when he was suddenly struck in the head by a bullet. Officer Cali was shot by a sniper from a window at the public housing project building located on West Lake Street. He was transported to Cook County Hospital where he died the following day. The juvenile shooter had been in an argument with another neighborhood boy earlier in the evening and was waiting for the boy to make another pass on his bicycle. Before the boy made another pass, the officers arrived and began to write the citation. The killer then told his cousins he was going to shoot an officer and fired the round, which struck Officer Cali. The juvenile was sentenced to 20 to 25 years in prison. He was paroled in 1986 after serving less than half of his sentence. Officer Joseph Cali was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and had served with the Chicago Police Department for two years. He is survived by his wife and a 3-year-old and 1-year-old daughter. Officer Cali’s services were held at St. Juliana’s Church on Chicago’s Northwest side and interment was at St. Joseph's Cemetery in River Grove, Illinois. In December 2016, the North Northwest Highway Post Office was renamed Officer Joseph P. Cali Post Office Building.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and a 3-year-old and 1-year-old daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-BF84070B- 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.
Police Officer Cali gave the Chicago Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Joseph P. Cali served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Joseph P. Cali 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 IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph P. Cali's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph P. Cali Compares
Offender Outcome
sniper
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph P. Cali is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph P. Cali was killed by rifle; .22 caliber.
Incident Location
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