Arthur Cashin

Chelsea Police Dept. — Chelsea, MA

Felonious

End of Watch July 20, 1980

Age 37

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

The Vigil Panel 123 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 6

Incident

Sergeant Arthur Cashin was shot and killed while making a traffic stop. After stopping a vehicle for going the wrong way on a one-way street in Bellingham Square, Chelsea, Sergeant Cashin approached the driver's side of the vehicle as his partner, Officer William Copello, approached the passenger side. The driver got out of the vehicle and immediately punched Sergeant Cashin, who landed face-first on the sidewalk. The driver then un-holstered Sergeant Cashin's service weapon and shot the officer twice in the back as he lay on the ground. Officer Copello then drew his service weapon, shooting and killing the driver. Sergeant Cashin was pronounced dead shortly after midnight on July 20th at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Sergeant Cashin had served with the Chelsea Police Department for nine years. He was survived by his wife and two young daughters. His nephew, Captain Rick Cashin, was killed in an on-duty automobile accident while serving with the Massachusetts State Police on January 28, 2009.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two young daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-C4FF5760
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.
Sergeant Cashin gave the Chelsea Police Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chelsea community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Cashin.

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

Agency

Department Chelsea Police Dept.

Location Chelsea, MA

Platform Identity cpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 20, 1980

Tour of Duty 9 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Shot and killed

Sergeant Arthur Cashin is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.8 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Chelsea Police Dept., 2 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 28.6% of this agency's fallen.

Chelsea Police Dept.

of 7 officers

28.6% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious