Roll of Honor

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Chief of Police

Thomas Linn Mathews

Galesburg Police Department — Galesburg, IL

Felonious

End of Watch October 17, 1915

Age 30

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 30 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 2

Incident

Chief Thomas Mathews was shot and killed as he and three of his officers raided a suspected bootlegging establishment.

The suspect was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life. He was denied parole in 1931.

Chief Mathews had served with the Galesburg Police Department for one year.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-588D3B04
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

You barely got started.
Chief of Police Mathews gave the Galesburg Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Galesburg community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Mathews.

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

Agency

Department Galesburg Police Department

Location Galesburg, IL

Platform Identity gpd.knox.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 17, 1915

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Sentenced to life

Chief of Police Thomas Linn Mathews is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In IL, 842 of 1,318 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.9% of this state's fallen. That is 9.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Galesburg Police Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Galesburg Police Department

of 3 officers

66.7% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Thomas Linn Mathews'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 Thomas Linn Mathews Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to life

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Thomas Linn Mathews is highlighted in Oct.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Thomas Linn Mathews was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Galesburg Police Department are honored on badge.nw.

Patrolman

Thomas Charles Godsil