John F. Less
Agency patch
Motorcycle Officer

John F. Less

St. Joseph Police Department — St. Joseph, MO
Felonious
End of Watch October 22, 1923
Age 38
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
The Vigil Panel 46 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Motorcycle Officer John Less was shot and killed by an ex-convict he was attempting to arrest at the intersection of 3rd Street and Felix Street. The man was wanted for escaping from officers the previous day while he was being arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct. The suspect was arrested, convicted of murder, and sentenced to life in prison on May 27th, 1924. He was paroled on January 20, 1953. Officer Less had served with the St. Joseph Police Department for one year.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Motorcycle Officer Less gave the St. Joseph Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the St. Joseph community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Motorcycle Officer Less.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location St. Joseph, Buchanan County, MO
Platform Identity sjpd.buchanan.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 22, 1923
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

John is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1923, 199 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 14th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 38. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. John had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

St. Joseph Police Department has 13 officers remembered here, John among them.

VI

Where

Motorcycle Officer John F. Less

St. Joseph Police Department · End of Watch October 22, 1923

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 62-W

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