George Teddy Bryja

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Cardiac Veteran →

End of Watch July 27, 1986

Age 45

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Badge 12557

The Vigil Panel 131 ›

Gender Male

His Life Service The Sacrifice Military Department 570

His Life

Patrolman George T. Bryja collapsed and died of a heart attack after a foot pursuit in the 6600 block of South Campbell Avenue. He was off duty when he was awakened at 3:00 a.m. by the sound of the burglar alarm on the family car. His wife set the alarm off when she drove up to the house and saw two men trying to set a neighbor's garage on fire after spray-painting it with graffiti. Patrolman Bryja and his 18-year-old son chased the vandals through an alley for four blocks before losing them. When he returned home, he was sweating profusely, complained of chest pains, and collapsed. He was transported to Holy Cross Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 4:51 a.m. Patrolman Bryja was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Chicago Police Department for 20 years. He was assigned to the Morgan Park District. His wife, daughter, and son survive him. His son followed in his father's footsteps and joined the Chicago Police Department.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IL-D60048A2
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 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.
Patrolman Bryja gave the Chicago Police Department 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Chicago Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Chicago, Cook County, IL

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

Service Record

End of Watch July 27, 1986

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 45

Badge Number 12557

Gender Male

His Life Details

Cause Cardiac

Weapon Person

Military Service

George Teddy Bryja served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman George Teddy Bryja is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,586 officers honored here.

In IL, 45 of 1,318 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.4% of this state's fallen. That is 0.6 percentage points below the national rate of 4%.

At Chicago Police Department, 17 of 571 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3% of this agency's fallen.

Chicago Police Department

of 571 officers

3% Cardiac

IL — Statewide

of 1,318 officers

3.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,586 officers

4% Cardiac