Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Joseph O'Brien

Windsor Locks Police Department — Windsor Locks, CT

Felonious

End of Watch December 24, 1968

Age 43

The Vigil Panel 104 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Patrolman Joseph O'Brien was killed when his patrol car was struck by a vehicle being operated by an intoxicated driver. Patrolman O'Brien was conducting an investigation at the scene of an accident when his patrol car was struck by the vehicle. Patrolman O'Brien and the driver of one of the vehicle involved in the original vehicle accident were standing outside the patrol car, between it and another car and were crushed between the cars. A subsequent investigation reveled that the driver of the vehicle that struck Patrolman O'Brien was intoxicated. She was charged with DWI and sentenced to one year in prison.

Survivors

Patrolman O'Brien was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CT-BC1B8F94
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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman O'Brien served with the Windsor Locks Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Windsor Locks community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman O'Brien.

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

Agency

Department Windsor Locks Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Windsor Locks, CT

Platform Identity wlpd.capitol.ct.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 24, 1968

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Patrolman Joseph O'Brien 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 CT, 74 of 169 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.8% of this state's fallen. That is 43.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

Windsor Locks Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

CT — Statewide

of 169 officers

43.8% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Joseph O'Brien's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How Joseph O'Brien Compares

Age at Death

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph O'Brien is highlighted in Dec.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Joseph O'Brien was killed by automobile.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

0 officers from Windsor Locks Police Department are honored on badge.nw.