Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Frederick Bell succumbed to injuries sustained four months earlier when he was thrown from his patrol car after it collided with a lumber truck at the intersection of Watertown Street and Walnut Street while escorting an ambulance to a local hospital.
Patrolman Bell's injuries did not first appear to be life-threatening. Four months after the collision, he was rushed to Newton Wellesley Hospital where he died of brain injuries sustained from the crash.
Patrolman Bell's brother, Patrolman Henry Bell, was shot and killed in the line of duty on August 22nd, 1937, along with Patrolman Lawrence Murphy, while also serving with the Newton Police Department.
Patrolman Bell was a United States Air Force veteran of WWII and had served with the Newton Police Department for eight years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, three brothers, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-0D23DAF3- 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.
Patrolman Bell gave the Newton Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the West Newton 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
Frederick Aloysius Bell served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman Frederick Aloysius Bell is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MA, 158 of 469 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.7 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Newton Police Department, 2 of 5 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Frederick Aloysius Bell's cause is highlighted.
How Frederick Aloysius Bell Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Frederick Aloysius Bell is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
4 officers from Newton Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
