James Gallagher

Cincinnati Police Department — Cincinnati, OH

Felonious

End of Watch March 26, 1876

Age 43

Tour of Duty 3 mo

The Vigil Panel 5 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Substitute Patrolman James Gallagher was shot and killed while investigating sounds of gunfire outside of his boarding house while off duty. A drunk man had fired two shots at a group of strangers standing in front of the home at the corner of Longworth Street and Central Avenue. Hearing the shots, Patrolman Gallagher retrieved his revolver and went outside. As he began to confront the subject, the man shot him twice. Despite being wounded, he was able to return fire and wounded the suspect. The man was subdued by a citizen. He was sentenced to only seven years in jail and pardoned after serving only two years. He died while serving a sentence for burglary in Rhode Island in 1887. The Greater Cincinnati Firefighters Memorial sits on the spot where Substitute Patrolman James Gallagher was killed. It is also the location where Patrolman Samuel Robins, end of watch April 25, 1916, and Detective Albert Wegener and Policeman George LePoris, end of watch November 12, 1917, were killed. Patrolman Gallagher had served with the Cincinnati Police Department for a few months. He was survived by his mother, sister, and brother, who served as a detective with the Louisville Police Department. He is buried at Spring Grove Cemetery, Cincinnati.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother, sister, and brother, who served as a detective with the Louisville Police Department.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OH-B0C23A73
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

150 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Substitute Patrolman Gallagher served with the Cincinnati Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Cincinnati Police Department

Location Cincinnati, OH

Platform Identity cincpd.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 26, 1876

Tour of Duty 3 mo

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Pardoned in 1878

Substitute Patrolman James Gallagher 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 OH, 572 of 991 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.7% of this state's fallen. That is 3.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Cincinnati Police Department, 63 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.4% of this agency's fallen.

Cincinnati Police Department

of 106 officers

59.4% Felonious

OH — Statewide

572

of 991 officers

57.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious