Joseph Patrick Campbell

Royal Ulster Constabulary GC — NIR

Felonious

End of Watch February 25, 1977

Age 48

The Vigil Panel 209 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 468

Incident

On the evening of his murder he received two telephone calls at home, the nature of which he didn’t share with his family. After the second call, about 8:30pm, he left his home to walk the short distance to Cushendall Police Station where his colleague was on duty.

Sergeant Campbell had elected to wear his personal protection sidearm, which was unusual for him. He remained in the station talking with his colleague until shortly before 9:00pm, when the Constable finished his duties for the evening. Sergeant Campbell saw him off the premises and secured the main gates to the compound.

At approximately 9:00pm at least one shot was heard by a number of people in Cushendall and, soon after, a member of the public found Sergeant Campbell on the ground outside the main gates to the Police Station. He had sustained a gunshot wound to his head and was conveyed to hospital but died without regaining consciousness.

At the time of Sergeant Campbell’s death Cushendall Police Station operated limited opening hours between 9:00am and 11:00am and 5:00pm and 7:00pm. These hours were to facilitate members of the public attending the station while also providing Sergeant Campbell and a Constable, recently posted to the area, the capacity to pursue other policing duties.

A Donegal-born Catholic, he was posted to the Glens of Antrim in 1963 and stationed in Cushendall, the town in which he lived with his family. Before his murder in 1977 he told Denis Murray, a Special Branch officer, that he feared his fellow officers whom he suspected of corruption, were plotting to kill him.

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Added to badge.nw: April 8, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Campbell served with the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Campbell.

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

Agency

Department Royal Ulster Constabulary GC

Location NIR

Platform Identity ruc.bfs.nir.gb.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 25, 1977

Age 48

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Homicide - Shot

Sergeant Joseph Patrick Campbell 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 NIR, 422 of 599 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.5% of this state's fallen. That is 16.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Royal Ulster Constabulary GC, 351 of 469 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 74.8% of this agency's fallen.

Royal Ulster Constabulary GC

351

of 469 officers

74.8% Felonious

NIR — Statewide

422

of 599 officers

70.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious