Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman John Ralph succumbed to injuries he received in a vehicle crash on August 8, 1934.
After being called to the station on police business, Patrolman Ralph was being driven home in a department automobile. At the corner of Dorchester Avenue and Washburn Street, the police vehicle was cut off by another driver, and a collision occurred.
Patrolman Ralph was transported to St. Elizabeth's Hospital, where he died from his injuries after multiple operations.
Patrolman Ralph had served with the Boston Police Department for six years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and six children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-2B137E91- 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 Ralph gave the Boston Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Ralph.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman John G. Ralph 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 Boston Police Department, 31 of 106 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John G. Ralph's cause is highlighted.
How John G. Ralph Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John G. Ralph is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
105 officers from Boston Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
