Winchell W. Hills
Agency patch
Chief of Police

Winchell W. Hills

South Chicago Heights Police Department — S. Chicago Heights, IL
Accident
End of Watch March 24, 1938
Age 47
Tour of Duty 7 yrs 6 mo
The Vigil Panel 74 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Chief of Police Winchell Hills was accidentally killed when a 20-gauge shotgun he was removing from a locker discharged, shooting him in the head.

He was alone in the village hall at 2729 Jackson Avenue when the accident occurred.

Chief Hills had served with the South Chicago Heights Police Department for 7-½ years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-DCAD389A
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.
Chief of Police Hills gave the South Chicago Heights Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the S. Chicago Heights community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Hills.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location S. Chicago Heights, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity schpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 24, 1938
Tour of Duty 7 yrs 6 mo
Age 47
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Chief of Police Winchell W. Hills 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 IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 26.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At South Chicago Heights Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

South Chicago Heights Police Department
1
of 2 officers
50% Accident
IL — Statewide
354
of 1,318 officers
26.9% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Winchell W. Hills's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Winchell W. Hills Compares

Age at Death
47
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
7.5
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Winchell W. Hills is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from South Chicago Heights Police Department are honored on badge.nw.