James E. O'Connor

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Felonious

End of Watch January 28, 1970

Age 62

Tour of Duty 37 yrs

Badge 434

The Vigil Panel 106 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 570

Incident

Lieutenant James E. O'Connor was shot and killed during an armed robbery attempt. He was visiting a retired policeman at his workplace at 11048 S. Michigan Avenue. An armed man entered the establishment with a gun in one hand and the other hand covering his face for a disguise. Lieutenant O'Connor attempted to disarm the man but the gunman fired once and shot him in the head. Two detectives were in the neighborhood on an investigation and saw the struggle from across the street. Joining detectives in the pursuit was another policeman who had been in the office with Lieutenant O'Connor. Both the gunman and his accomplice were arrested within hours. The gunman was convicted of murder and sentenced to 50 to 100 years in prison. His 33-year-old accomplice committed suicide in jail. Lieutenant O'Connor was a 37 year veteran of the Chicago Police Department. He was promoted to lieutenant in 1954 and had recently been assigned to the Kensington District.

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Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-79BDF3BD
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

37 years. You could have gone home.
Lieutenant O'Connor gave the Chicago Police Department 37 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant O'Connor.

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

Agency

Department Chicago Police Department

Location Chicago, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 28, 1970

Tour of Duty 37 yrs

Age 62

Badge Number 434

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Sentenced to 50 to 100 years

Lieutenant James E. O'Connor 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 Chicago Police Department, 396 of 571 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

396

of 571 officers

69.4% Felonious

IL — Statewide

842

of 1,318 officers

63.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious