Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Joseph O'Brien

Windsor Locks Police Department — Windsor Locks, CT

Felonious

End of Watch December 24, 1968

Age 43

The Vigil Panel 104 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Patrolman Joseph O'Brien was killed when his patrol car was struck by a vehicle being operated by an intoxicated driver. Patrolman O'Brien was conducting an investigation at the scene of an accident when his patrol car was struck by the vehicle. Patrolman O'Brien and the driver of one of the vehicle involved in the original vehicle accident were standing outside the patrol car, between it and another car and were crushed between the cars. A subsequent investigation reveled that the driver of the vehicle that struck Patrolman O'Brien was intoxicated. She was charged with DWI and sentenced to one year in prison.

Survivors

Patrolman O'Brien was survived by his wife and five children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CT-BC1B8F94
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.
Patrolman O'Brien served with the Windsor Locks Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Windsor Locks community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman O'Brien.

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

Agency

Department Windsor Locks Police Department

Location Windsor Locks, CT

Platform Identity wlpd.capitol.ct.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 24, 1968

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Sentenced to one year in prison

Patrolman Joseph O'Brien 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 CT, 74 of 169 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 43.8% of this state's fallen. That is 10.4 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

Windsor Locks Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

CT — Statewide

of 169 officers

43.8% 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. Joseph O'Brien'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 Joseph O'Brien Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to one year in prison

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph O'Brien is highlighted in Dec.

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. Joseph O'Brien was killed by automobile; alcohol involved.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518