Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer John Blake suffered a fatal heart attack at about 8:00 pm while rushing to the scene of a disturbance between two women approximately a half mile from the East Gloucester Square.
He was on foot patrol in the Square when he was alerted to the trouble. While en route he encountered two girls and told them he was feeling ill. He then attempted to reach his nearby home but collapsed in a grove of trees known as Sayward's Oaks. The girls he had encountered went to get help but by the time he was found he had passed away.
Officer Blake, it has been 148 years since you were taken from us. New England law enforcement has continued to thrive, learn and become safer due to the traditions and sacrifices you, your family, and many others have made for us. Thank you for your years of law enforcement service.
Chief (Ret) Steven Marshall Georges Mills, NH August 25th, 2024
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-2661AC85- 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
150 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Blake served with the Gloucester Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Gloucester community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer John M. Blake 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 32,508 officers honored here.
In MA, 44 of 469 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.4% of this state's fallen. That is 5.4 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.
At Gloucester Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John M. Blake's cause is highlighted.
How John M. Blake Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. John M. Blake is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Gloucester Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
