Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable Cornelius DeBrine succumbed to injuries sustained three days earlier when he was involved in a motorcycle crash on Atlantic Avenue near Hennekey Park (modern-day Akron Street), in Rochester.
Constable DeBrine had stopped at his home on Atlantic Avenue and was eating dinner when he observed a vehicle speed by. He immediately jumped on his motorcycle and began pursuing the vehicle along Atlantic Avenue. As they approached Hennekey Park the fleeing vehicle swerved around a slow-moving delivery truck. Constable DeBrine also attempted to swerve around the truck but struck a utility pole. He suffered a skull fracture and died three days later.
The vehicle he was pursuing was never located.
Constable DeBrine had been seriously injured in another vehicle crash several weeks prior and had just returned to duty. His appointment as constable was set to expire only one week after his death.
Constable DeBrine was a widower who had remarried.
Survivors
He was survived by his three children from his first marriage and his second wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NY-43AA9698- 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.
Constable DeBrine served with the Brighton Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Rochester community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Constable DeBrine.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable Cornelius R. DeBrine 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%.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Cornelius R. DeBrine's cause is highlighted.
How Cornelius R. DeBrine Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Cornelius R. DeBrine is highlighted in Oct.