Joseph L. Fitzpatrick
Agency patch
Sergeant

Joseph L. Fitzpatrick

New York State Police — Albany, NY
Accident
End of Watch November 17, 1937
Age 35
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
The Vigil Panel 73 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant Joseph Fitzpatrick was killed in a vehicle crash while searching for three escapees from the Onondaga County Penitentiary (current-day Jamesville Correctional Facility). While traveling on Cherry Valley Turnpike (current-day New York Interstate 20), the driver lost control of their patrol vehicle while going around a sharp curve. The car overturned and went off a 12-foot embankment. Sergeant Fitzpatrick was killed instantly. The trooper suffered minor injuries. Sergeant Fitzpatrick and the Trooper, who was driving, had been checking cars at a road checkpoint for over 48 hours while searching for the escaped felons. All three felons were apprehended. Sergeant Fitzpatrick had served with the New York State Police for 11 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three young children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-040A1DB1
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Fitzpatrick gave the New York State Police 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New York. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Fitzpatrick.

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

Agency

Location Albany, NY
Platform Identity nysp.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 17, 1937
Tour of Duty 11 yrs
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Sergeant Joseph L. Fitzpatrick is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

At New York State Police, 94 of 171 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 55% of this agency's fallen.

New York State Police
94
of 171 officers
55% Accident
NY — Statewide
645
of 2,147 officers
30% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph L. Fitzpatrick's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Joseph L. Fitzpatrick Compares

Age at End of Watch
35
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
11
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph L. Fitzpatrick is highlighted in Nov.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location