Bernard Poe
Agency patch
Patrolman

Bernard Poe

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Felonious
End of Watch November 8, 1957
Age 23
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Badge 6509
The Vigil Panel 93 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Bernie Poe was shot and killed as he rushed to assist a fellow officer who was involved in a struggle. He was walking his beat when he saw another officer struggling with a man in front of 3140 W. Roosevelt Road. The man shot Patrolman Poe in the chest with the other officer's service revolver, which he had gained control of, as he ran to help his fellow officer. The suspect then shot the other officer in the arm before fleeing. The man was arrested two days later while hitch-hiking near Baldwin, Michigan. The other officer was attempting to arrest the 35-year-old suspect for passing a bad check. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to 99 years. Patrolman Poe had served with the Chicago Police Department for just over one year and was assigned to the Marquette Station at 2259 S. Damen Avenue.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Patrolman Poe gave the Chicago Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Poe.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 8, 1957
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 23
Badge Number 6509
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Bernard 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 1957, 67 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 107th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Bernard was 23. 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. Bernard 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

November holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

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 officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Bernard among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Bernard Poe

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch November 8, 1957

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-E

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