Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Thomas Burns succumbed to exposure and hypothermia after falling into the icy water at the Brooklyn Army Base on 58th Street. Patrolman Burns was investigating calls for help when he slipped, fell into the water, and injured his head. Another Patrolman rescued him from the water. He was transported to the hospital, where he died five hours later. Patrolman Burns served with the New York City Police Department for 12 years and was assigned to the 74th Precinct.
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- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-8583BD7E- 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 Burns gave the New York City Police Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Burns.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Thomas J. Burns Jr. is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 30 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At New York City Police Department, 283 of 1237 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 22.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas J. Burns Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Thomas J. Burns Jr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas J. Burns Jr. is highlighted in Dec.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1,236 officers from New York City Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
