Patrick J. Ryan

Newark Police Division — Newark, NJ

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 16, 1919

Age 46

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 37 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 57

Incident

Lieutenant Patrick Ryan was shot and killed after arresting a man wanted for a hold-up three months earlier. He and a police captain had approached the suspect and another man, who both began to run when they recognized the officers. Lieutenant Ryan caught the man as he attempted to climb over a fence. After quickly frisking the suspect, Lieutenant Ryan began walking him to a police call box. The suspect suddenly turned and shot him four times, fatally wounding him. Hearing the shots, the captain stopped chasing the other suspect and returned to the scene. Lieutenant Ryan was taken to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds. The 21-year-old suspect was arrested a few days later and charged with murder. On February 1, 1921, he was executed in the electric chair. Lieutenant Ryan was a United States Army Spanish American War veteran and had served with the Newark Police Department for 20 years. Lieutenant Ryan was known nationwide as "The Man With the Camera Eye." After he looked at a picture of a criminal one time, he never forgot his name or his face. He knew all the criminals he saw a picture of in Newark and New York.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NJ-1ABBA75C
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Lieutenant Ryan gave the Newark Police Division 20 years.
Thank you for your service to the Newark community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Newark Police Division

Location Newark, NJ

Platform Identity npdpd.essex.nj.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 16, 1919

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Executed in 1921

Military Service

Patrick J. Ryan served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Lieutenant Patrick J. Ryan 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 NJ, 264 of 646 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40.9% of this state's fallen. That is 13.3 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Newark Police Division, 28 of 58 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.

Newark Police Division

of 58 officers

48.3% Felonious

NJ — Statewide

264

of 646 officers

40.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious