Joseph C. Reiser

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA

Felonious

End of Watch January 20, 1918

Age 35

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 33 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Patrolman Joseph Reiser was shot and killed while attempting to apprehend a burglar in an apartment building on Jersey Street in Back Bay. Patrolman Reiser had observed the suspect, who matched the description of a lookout and went to investigate. The suspect opened fire with a revolver, striking Patrolman Reiser four times before fleeing. The suspect was arrested a week later. He was found to be responsible for 80 burglaries. He specialized in stealing jewelry and phonograph records. He was convicted of Patrolman Reisner's murder and sentenced to life in prison. On May 25, 1920, the suspect broke out of the Massachusetts State Prison along with two other men. He was captured in Chicago on December 24, 1920. On December 24, 1936, his sentence was reduced to 20 years, making him eligible for parole a year later. One of the other escapees was serving a 15 to 20-year sentence for the murder of Patrolman Charles E. Deininger of the Boston, Massachusetts Police Department on February 13, 1919. He surrendered to authorities in Middlesex County in August of 1920. Patrolman Reiser had served with the Boston Police Department for ten years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-CB3AAAEC
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 Reiser gave the Boston Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Reiser.

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

Agency

Department Boston Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Roxbury Crossing, Suffolk County, MA

Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 20, 1918

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Patrolman Joseph C. Reiser 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 42.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Boston Police Department, 45 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.5% of this agency's fallen.

Boston Police Department

of 106 officers

42.5% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious