Joseph Palczynski Sr.

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Cardiac

End of Watch March 5, 1935

Age 73

Tour of Duty 49 yrs 7 mo

The Vigil Panel 69 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 570

Incident

Captain Joseph Palczynski suffered a fatal heart attack during a large fight in the Women's Courtroom at 1121 South State Street in Chicago.

Captain Palczynski was working in the Women's Courtroom when a fight broke out. During the melee, Captain Palczynski pushed into the crowd attempting to restore the peace. While doing so, he suffered a fatal heart attack after being shoved to the floor and trampled by several rioters. He was carried into the judge's chambers and later pronounced dead at the scene.

A bailiff and two subjects in the fight were shot and wounded. Thirty-eight policemen, bailiffs, and subjects had minor injuries. No charges were filed in connection with Captain Palcynski's death.

Captain Palczynski had served with the Chicago Police Department for over 49 years and was assigned to the Detective Bureau.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, four sons, a daughter, six grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-2AA8C6B4
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

49 years. You could have gone home.
Captain Palczynski gave the Chicago Police Department 49 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Palczynski.

— 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 March 5, 1935

Tour of Duty 49 yrs 7 mo

Age 73

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Captain Joseph Palczynski Sr. is one of 1 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In IL, 45 of 1,318 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.4% of this state's fallen. That is 3.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Chicago Police Department, 17 of 571 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

of 571 officers

3% Cardiac

IL — Statewide

of 1,318 officers

3.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Cardiac