Alva N. Mead

St. Joseph Police Department — St. Joseph, MO

Felonious

End of Watch March 18, 1944

Age 38

Tour of Duty

The Vigil Panel 80 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 12

Incident

Patrolman Alva Mead was shot and killed by a juvenile while attempting to arrest him for burglary. The boy had stolen $12 and two guns from a tavern at about 2:30 am. As two officers approached him in an alley, the boy ran from them. Patrolman Mead, who was in a patrol car, intercepted the boy near the Electric Theater at Seventh Street and Edmont Street. The two exchanged gunshots, and Patrolman Mead was fatally wounded; however, he was able to wound the boy. On November 15th, 1944, the 16-year-old boy was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in prison. Patrolman Mead had served with the St. Joseph Police Department for only 17 days.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two young daughters.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MO-9AC19BF3
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 Mead served with the St. Joseph Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the St. Joseph community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Mead.

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

Agency

Department St. Joseph Police Department

Location St. Joseph, MO

Platform Identity sjpd.buchanan.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 18, 1944

Tour of Duty

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Cause: Gunfire

Patrolman Alva N. Mead 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 MO, 516 of 813 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.5% of this state's fallen. That is 9.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At St. Joseph Police Department, 7 of 13 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.8% of this agency's fallen.

St. Joseph Police Department

of 13 officers

53.8% Felonious

MO — Statewide

516

of 813 officers

63.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious