Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman Branagan died of injuries he received while assisting with backing out a horse-drawn lumber truck from a ferry yard.
Patrolman Branagan was on his post at the Hamilton Ferry and was assisting a horse-drawn lumber truck back out of the ferry yard. As the truck was backing out, the horses changed direction, causing a load of lumber to fall from the truck onto Patrolman Branagan. Patrolman Branagan was severely injured and was taken to his residence, and the coroner was summoned. He died shortly thereafter from his injuries.
Patrolman Branagan had served with the New York City Police Department for 12 and a half years> He was survived by his wife and four children.
Survivors
Patrolman Branagan had served with the New York City Police Department for 12 and a half years> He was survived by his wife and four children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-2DF64B1F- 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
157 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Branagan gave the New York Metropolitan Police Force 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman John A. Branagan is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NY, 645 of 2,147 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At New York Metropolitan Police Force, 4 of 22 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 18.2% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. John A. Branagan's cause is highlighted.
How John A. Branagan Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. John A. Branagan is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
21 officers from New York Metropolitan Police Force are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
