Joseph Kelly Brown, Sr.

Prince George's County Police Dept. — Hyattsville, MD

Felonious

End of Watch February 19, 1966

Age 36

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 101 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 29

Incident

Sergeant Joseph Brown was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect who he had a warrant out for his arrest. Sergeant Brown, along with another uniformed officer and a detective, was attempting to serve an indecent exposure warrant on a young man at an apartment at 2211 University Boulevard, in Adelphi. The wanted man's father fired a pistol from the doorway, killing Sergeant Brown and wounding the two others. The man fled but was later arrested. The 41-year-old suspect's trial for murder ended with a hung jury and a mistrial was declared on July 25, 1966. He was sent back to jail and another trial was scheduled, but there is no more information. Sergeant Brown had served with the Prince George's County Police Department for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-C48724E3
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 Brown gave the Prince George's County Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Palmer Park community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Brown.

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

Agency

Department Prince George's County Police Dept.

Location Hyattsville, MD

Platform Identity pgcpd.pg.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 19, 1966

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 36

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Arrested

Sergeant Joseph Kelly Brown, Sr. 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 MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Prince George's County Police Dept., 19 of 30 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.3% of this agency's fallen.

Prince George's County Police Dept.

of 30 officers

63.3% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious