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Patrolman

Joseph J. Sullivan

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Felonious

End of Watch May 22, 1929

Age 28

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Badge 5421

The Vigil Panel 129 · Column 3 · Line 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 570

Incident

Patrolman Joseph J. Sullivan was shot to death in a hand-to-hand battle in the notorious Red Bolton Saloon at 1610 Polk Street. The manager of the establishment was being sought for the murder as well as others after police received an anonymous phone tip regarding the murder of Patrolman Raymond Martin. Another suspected killer surrendered, and police learned that Patrolman Sullivan had been in the saloon only a short time before he was slain. He was said to be trying to gain information related to the kidnapping in which Detective Raymond Martin was murdered on May 15th, 1929. This supported the theory that Patrolman Sullivan was killed because he found an important clue in the investigation. While the suspected killer was being questioned he bolted from the officers, jumped from a fifth-floor window at the police station, killing himself. The manager of the Red Bolton Saloon was shot and killed by police along with two other gangsters on December 27th, 1929. Another support for this contention was revealed when the Patrolman Sullivan's fiance told investigators that he had phoned her hours earlier and told her he intended to visit the saloon to search for a suspect in the kidnapping. Patrolman Sullivan was survived by his father, Sergeant Jeremiah Sullivan, also a member of the Chicago Police Department. At the time he was killed he was part of a team investigating the "Saint Valentine's Day Massacre" which was not related to this incident.

Survivors

Patrolman Sullivan was survived by his father, Sergeant Jeremiah Sullivan, also a member of the Chicago Police Department.

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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Sullivan gave the Chicago Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Sullivan.

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

Agency

Department Chicago Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Chicago, Cook County, IL

Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 22, 1929

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 28

Badge Number 5421

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1929, 205 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 12th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Joseph was 28. 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. Joseph had served 7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month

By day of the week

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