Roll of Honor
Incident
Sergeant Joseph Cordes died of a heart attack while writing a police report in the station's booking room. Sergeant Cordes had served with the Swampscott Police Department for 25 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, son, daughter, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-85872F34- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Joseph. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
25 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Cordes gave the Swampscott Police Department 25 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Swampscott community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Cordes.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Sergeant Joseph I. Cordes, III 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 Swampscott 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. Joseph I. Cordes, III's cause is highlighted.
How Joseph I. Cordes, III Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. Joseph I. Cordes, III is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from Swampscott Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
