Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer John Bennett died as a result of complications from influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic.
In October 1918, the Metropolitan Police Department suffered an outbreak of influenza inside the Police Department due to the department's response to the Influenza Pandemic. Police Officers worked extremely long hours, answered emergency calls, and assisted influenza patients due to being short-staffed. More than 100 officers of the department were off daily throughout October. The United States Army Military Police Officers were ordered to help strengthen the number of the Police Force. They assisted the police department with policing in the city for most of the month till the Police Department got back to full strength.
Officer Bennett was a United States Army veteran and had served with the Metropolitan Police Department for 20 years.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law EnforcementAlso known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job. The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen. Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Also known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.
The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen.
Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.
Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law Enforcement
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-2C5A950D- 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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Officer Bennett gave the Metropolitan Police Department 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
John R. Bennett served in the Army before joining law enforcement.
Officer John R. Bennett is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In DC, 137 of 1,419 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 9.7% of this state's fallen. That is 0.6 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.
At Metropolitan Police Department, 8 of 131 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 6.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John R. Bennett's cause is highlighted.
How John R. Bennett Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. John R. Bennett is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
130 officers from Metropolitan Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
