Joseph T. Connor

Quincy Police Department — Quincy, MA

Illness

End of Watch December 25, 1922

Age 30

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

The Vigil Panel 44 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Patrolman Joseph Connor succumbed to rabies which he contracted when a rabid dog bit him. He was on patrol near the Squantum section of the city when he responded to screaming he heard. Upon investigation, he found a large dog growling and barking at a young girl. As he pulled the dog away, it bit him in the arm. Patrolman Connor then shot and killed the dog. At the time of the incident, there was no cure for rabies. Patrolman Connor's health deteriorated for one week until he succumbed to the disease. Patrolman Connor was a decorated combat veteran of WWI and had served with the Quincy Police Department for three years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-0E1023AE
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Connor gave the Quincy Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Quincy community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Connor.

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

Agency

Department Quincy Police Department

Location Quincy, MA

Platform Identity qpd.norfolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 25, 1922

Tour of Duty 3 yrs

Age 30

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness

Patrolman Joseph T. Connor 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 MA, 59 of 469 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 12.6% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 9.1%.

At Quincy Police Department, 2 of 5 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 40% of this agency's fallen.

Quincy Police Department

of 5 officers

40% Illness

MA — Statewide

of 469 officers

12.6% Illness

Nationwide

2,974

of 32,508 officers

9.1% Illness