Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Joseph Kurtz

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch June 7, 1921

Age 27

Tour of Duty

Badge 2711

The Vigil Panel 41 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 570

Incident

Patrolman Joseph Kurtz, of the 17th Precinct, was fatally shot at 7:45 p.m. at the southeast corner of 17th and Canal Streets; He died on the way to the hospital. Patrolman Joseph Kurtz and his partner responded to the scene of a "battery in progress" with two brothers. As Officer Kurtz attempted to subdue one offender, his partner struggled with the other. During the struggle, the second brother gained control of the partner's gun and fired, fatally striking Officer Kurtz. On June 9, 1921, Officer Kurtz's killer was held to the Grand Jury on a charge of murder and his accomplice was held as an accessory. On October 19, 1921, the killer was acquitted and the case against the accomplice was Nolle Prossed by Judge Fitch. Patrolman Kurtz was a United States Navy veteran of World War I and had served with the Chicago Police Department for only two weeks.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-3F87B74C
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. Joseph 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 Kurtz served with the Chicago Police Department.
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

Department Chicago Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Chicago, Cook County, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 7, 1921

Tour of Duty

Age 27

Badge Number 2711

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Military Service

Joseph Kurtz served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Joseph Kurtz 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 97,772 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 63.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

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.

Chicago Police Department

396

of 571 officers

69.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious