Joseph Brodnik

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA

Felonious

End of Watch May 1, 1969

Age 41

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

The Vigil Panel 105 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Officer Joseph Brodnik was shot and killed when he and his partner stopped two suspicious youths at 431 Alvarado Street. Officer Brodnik and his partner were working a burglary suppression unit in plain clothes and were operating an unmarked car in the Mission District. The suspects were part of a larger group of seven juveniles, and they had just committed a daytime burglary. During the confrontation, one of the youths grabbed Officer Brodnik's partner's gun and shot Officer Brodnik, killing him. His partner sustained severe injuries from being beaten by the juveniles. Six suspects were arrested and acquitted at trial. The seventh suspect fled the country. The suspect believed to have killed Officer Brodnik was later killed in prison. He had been sent to prison for committing an armed robbery in which he was shot and wounded by a San Francisco police officer. Officer Brodnik had served with the San Francisco Police Department for 13 years. He is survived by his wife and three children. One of Officer Brodnik's sons later became a San Francisco police officer.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-AF3B00C9
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Brodnik gave the San Francisco Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Brodnik.

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

Agency

Department San Francisco Police Department

Location San Francisco, CA

Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 1, 1969

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 41

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Acquitted

Officer Joseph Brodnik 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At San Francisco Police Department, 66 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.3% of this agency's fallen.

San Francisco Police Department

of 106 officers

62.3% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious