Richard Cronin

Saint Paul Police Department — Saint Paul, MN

Cardiac

End of Watch January 3, 1905

Age 52

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

The Vigil Panel 19 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 32

Incident

Patrolman Richard Cronin suffered a fatal heart attack after being assaulted.

Patrolman Cronin was assigned to the Margaret Street Station's jail and had gone with two other officers to arrest a man. As the officers attempted to remove the man from his house he violently resisted and kicked Patrolman Cronin in the stomach. He collapsed moments later and died while being taken to the local hospital.

The subject who kicked Patrolman Cronin was fined $50 for disorderly conduct and released.

Patrolman Cronin had served with the St. Paul Police Department for 15 years. He was survived by his wife and two children. He is buried in Calvery Cemetery in St. Paul.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MN-E173A9A8
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 Cronin gave the Saint Paul Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Saint Paul community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Cronin.

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

Agency

Department Saint Paul Police Department

Location Saint Paul, MN

Platform Identity sainpd.ramsey.mn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 3, 1905

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 52

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Patrolman Richard Cronin 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 MN, 26 of 293 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 8.9% of this state's fallen. That is 4.9 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Saint Paul Police Department, 2 of 33 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 6.1% of this agency's fallen.

Saint Paul Police Department

of 33 officers

6.1% Cardiac

MN — Statewide

of 293 officers

8.9% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac