John A. Franken
Agency patch
Patrolman

John A. Franken

Cincinnati Police Department — Cincinnati, OH
Felonious
End of Watch July 7, 1927
Age 48
Tour of Duty 19 yrs 6 mo
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John Franken succumbed to gunshot wounds he received three days earlier when he and another officer responded to a report of a man shooting two other men and a woman on Kenyon Avenue. The suspect was apprehended and sentenced to death for Patrolman Franken's memorial. He was executed in the electric chair at the Ohio State Penitentiary on November 30, 1928. Patrolman Franken had been with the Cincinnati Police Department for nearly 20 years. He was survived by his father and sister. He was buried at Saint Joseph Old Cemetery. Kenyon Avenue was demolished for Interstate 71 and Interstate 75 Interchange.

Survivors

He was survived by his father and sister.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Franken gave the Cincinnati Police Department 19 years.
Thank you for your service to the Cincinnati community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Franken.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Cincinnati, Hamilton County, OH
Platform Identity cincpd.hamilton.oh.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 7, 1927
Tour of Duty 19 yrs 6 mo
Age 48
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1927, 220 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 6th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 48. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 19.5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Cincinnati Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman John A. Franken

Cincinnati Police Department · End of Watch July 7, 1927

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 28-W

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