Robert W. Cox
Agency patch
Police Officer

Robert W. Cox

Cardiac Veteran
End of Watch March 11, 1977
Age 36
The Vigil Panel 118 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Robert Cox suffered a fatal injury to the heart after a violent struggle with a burglary suspect.

Officer Cox responded to a burglary in progress. When he arrived, he spotted the suspect, who fled. After a foot pursuit, Officer Cox was able to overtake the suspect, who put up a violent struggle, striking Officer Cox in the chest, before being taken into custody. Officer Cox then returned to the station house, where he collapsed. He remained in a coma for almost three months and died as a result.

Officer Cox was a United States Navy veteran and had been assigned to the 107th Precinct.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three boys.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-25F5A3F8
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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.
Police Officer Cox served with the New York City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 11, 1977
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac
Cause Detail Heart attack

Military Service

Robert W. Cox served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer Robert W. Cox is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In NY, 99 of 2,147 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.6% of this state's fallen. That is 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At New York City Police Department, 44 of 1237 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.6% of this agency's fallen.

New York City Police Department
44
of 1,237 officers
3.6% Cardiac
NY — Statewide
99
of 2,147 officers
4.6% Cardiac
Nationwide
1,306
of 32,508 officers
4% Cardiac

National Cause Distribution

How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert W. Cox's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Robert W. Cox Compares

Age at End of Watch
36
This officer
Avg for Cardiac: 48.6 years

When Cardiac Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Robert W. Cox is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
124
Feb
105
Mar
99
Apr
116
May
115
Jun
95
Jul
94
Aug
104
Sep
109
Oct
121
Nov
113
Dec
111

Incident Location