Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer James Knapp was killed when he was involved in a motor vehicle accident at 6:15 am at the intersection of 100th Place and 76th Avenue in Bridgeview.
Officer Knapp was en route to the sheriff's station in Bridgeview when his squad car rear-ended a semitrailer that was stopped waiting to make a left-hand turn during foggy and slick road conditions. He was extricated from his squad car before being transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn where he was pronounced dead.
Officer Knapp had served with the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department for 16 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, who is a lieutenant with the department, two sons, parents and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-IL-F1C0286B- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrol Officer Knapp gave the Cook County Sheriff's Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the Maywood community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrol Officer Knapp.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrol Officer James F. Knapp is one of 10,094 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,586 officers honored here.
In IL, 354 of 1,318 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 26.9% of this state's fallen. That is 4.1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Cook County Sheriff's Police Department, 3 of 7 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James F. Knapp's cause is highlighted.
How James F. Knapp Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James F. Knapp is highlighted in Jan.
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Cook County Sheriff's Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
