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Police Officer

Richard F. Gipson

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Veteran → Cardiac

End of Watch February 4, 1981

Age 56

Tour of Duty 24 yrs

Badge 3451

The Vigil Panel 124 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 570

Incident

Police Officer Richard F. Gipson suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with a suspect at O'Hare International Airport. Two suspects attempted to purchase tickets from American Airlines with a stolen check. The airline had been notified by Trans World Airlines regarding the two who just tried to purchase tickets and had been turned away because the check was suspicious. When the suspects showed up at the American Airlines counter they provided three identifications cards, none of which matched the checks. The two were invited into a back room and security notified Officer Gipson, who was on patrol outside. When Officer Gipson arrived one suspect tore the check into pieces and attempted to eat it. Officer Gipson struggled with the suspect and then collapsed into a chair and lost consciousness. Both suspects were taken into custody by Area 5 Violent Crimes officers. Officer Gipson had served with the Chicago Police Department for 24 years and was assigned to the 016th District. He was to have gone on furlough and then into retirement the next day.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, and two grandsons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-69900D09
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

24 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Gipson gave the Chicago Police Department 24 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Gipson.

— 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 February 4, 1981

Tour of Duty 24 yrs

Age 56

Badge Number 3451

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Weapon Person

Military Service

Richard F. Gipson served in the the United States military (1943â1945) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Richard F. Gipson 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