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Motorcycle Officer

Paul Edward Buckley

Homewood Police Department — Homewood, IL

Accident

End of Watch October 19, 1920

Age 26

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 39 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Motorcycle Officer Paul Buckley succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day when his police motorcycle was struck by a delivery truck on Dixie Highway as he assisted the Illinois State Police during a vehicle pursuit.

The state policeman had attempted to stop a vehicle that had run through barriers at a construction zone on Dixie Highway. Officer Buckley joined the pursuit as they chased the vehicle south. Officer Buckley's view was obscured by trees and he did not see the truck as it pulled onto the highway.

He was transported to St. James Hospital in Chicago Heights where he died the following day.

Officer Buckley had served with the Homewood Police Department for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three young children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-2F86CC12
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Motorcycle Officer Buckley gave the Homewood Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Homewood community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Motorcycle Officer Buckley.

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

Agency

Department Homewood Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Homewood, Cook County, IL

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

Service Record

End of Watch October 19, 1920

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Cause Detail Vehicle pursuit

Weapon Automobile

Motorcycle Officer Paul Edward Buckley is one of 10,094 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,585 officers honored here.

In IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 4.1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.

Homewood Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Accident

IL — Statewide

354

of 1,318 officers

26.9% Accident

Nationwide

10,094

of 32,585 officers

31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Paul Edward Buckley's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,558 (53.9%)

Accident

10,094 (31%)

Illness

3,037 (9.3%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

334 (1%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

How Paul Edward Buckley Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

Years of Service