Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Dennis Murphy died as a result of complications from influenza while performing his assigned duties during the Influenza Pandemic
On February 14, Patrolman Murphy finished his shift at the jailor's office and returned to his home. Later the same day, he telephoned the department to say that he was ill and suffering from Influenza. While recovering at his home in the 400 block of West Aluminum Avenue, pneumonia developed, and he died due to complications of influenza.
The Butte Police Department had been tasked with enforcing local health laws to help prevent the spread of influenza, as well as performing their regular police duties.
Patrolman Murphy served with the Butte Police Department for five years.
The 1918 Influenza Pandemic
Patrolman Dennis Joseph Murphy died on February 18, 1919 of influenza contracted in the line of duty. He was 31.
He is one of 201 officers honored here, and one of 2 at Butte Police Department.
The influenza pandemic of 1918 killed more people worldwide than the war that preceded it. Police officers worked it without vaccines, without antibiotics, and often without masks, enforcing quarantines, transporting the sick, and standing posts in cities where the dead outpaced the undertakers.
They caught it doing the job. There was no treatment to give them.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MT-A400DCA1- 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
No vaccine, no antibiotics, and you stood the post anyway.
Patrolman Murphy gave the Butte Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Butte community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Murphy.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman Dennis Joseph Murphy is one of 2,974 officers lost to illness connected to their service across the full record of this memorial — 9.1% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In MT, 4 of 142 officers were lost to illness connected to their service — 2.8% of this state's fallen. That is 6.3 percentage points below the national rate of 9.1%.
At Butte Police Department, 2 of 14 officers on record were lost to illness connected to their service — 14.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Illness compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Dennis Joseph Murphy's cause is highlighted.
How Dennis Joseph Murphy Compares
When Illness Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Illness deaths across the full memorial record. Dennis Joseph Murphy is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
13 officers from Butte Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
