Michael F. Churchill
Agency patch
Chief of Police

Michael F. Churchill

Osawatomie Police Department — Osawatomie, KS
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 3, 1947
Age 48
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
The Vigil Panel 83 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Chief of Police Mike Churchill was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for beating his wife the previous night. As Chief Churchill approached the man in a shed behind his house, the man opened fire with a shotgun, killing Chief Churchill around 10:00 a.m. The man was apprehended by a posse, convicted, and hung on May 6th, 1950. Chief Churchill was a United States Army WWI veteran. He had served with the Osawatomie Police Department for ten years and law enforcement for an additional seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-KS-D095A7DB
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 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.
Chief of Police Churchill gave the Osawatomie Police Department 17 years.
Thank you for your service to the Osawatomie 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

Type Police Department
Location Osawatomie, Miami County, KS
Platform Identity opd.miami.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 3, 1947
Tour of Duty 17 yrs
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Military Service

Michael F. Churchill served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Chief of Police Michael F. Churchill 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 70.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Osawatomie Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Osawatomie Police Department
2
of 2 officers
100% Felonious
KS — Statewide
237
of 335 officers
70.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Michael F. Churchill's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Michael F. Churchill Compares

Age at Death
48
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
17
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Michael F. Churchill is highlighted in Feb.

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. Michael F. Churchill was killed by shotgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Military Service

Michael F. Churchill served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Michael F. Churchill’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Osawatomie Police Department are honored on badge.nw.