James J. Hearn
Agency patch
Assistant Superintendent

James J. Hearn

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Cardiac
End of Watch November 27, 1930
Age 62
Tour of Duty 39 yrs
The Vigil Panel 61 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Assistant Superintendent Hearn suffered a heart attack while directing police operations at the scene of a fire at Horticultural Hall in Fairmount Park.

Assistant Superintendent had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 39 years.

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

39 years. You could have gone home.
Assistant Superintendent Hearn gave the Philadelphia Police Department 39 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Assistant Superintendent Hearn.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 27, 1930
Tour of Duty 39 yrs
Age 62
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

The Sacrifice · Cardiac

James is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1930, 7 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 78th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 62. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. James had served 39 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.

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

When

November holds 8.6% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Thursdays: 14.5%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Assistant Superintendent James J. Hearn

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch November 27, 1930

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 48-E

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