John Dolan
Agency patch
Patrolman

John Dolan

Louisville Police Department — Louisville, KY
Felonious
End of Watch December 20, 1904
Age 33
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo
The Vigil Panel 19 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John Dolan succumbed to a gunshot wound sustained four months earlier when he attempted to quell a disturbance at a bar near the intersection of Melwood Avenue and Stone Avenue. He and another officer were attempting to separate two brothers, the owners of the bar, as they they fought each other. One brother produced a pistol and shot Patrolman Dolan. The other officer shot and killed him.

Patrolman Dolan, shot in the abdomen, was taken to City Hospital where he slowly improved. After four months he took a turn for the worse, and his left leg had to be amputated. He died on December 20.

Patrolman Dolan had served with the Louisville Police Department for 14 months.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, brother, and four sisters.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Patrolman Dolan gave the Louisville Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Louisville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Dolan.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Louisville, Jefferson County, KY
Platform Identity lpd.jefferson.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 20, 1904
Tour of Duty 1 yrs 2 mo
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun; Pistol

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 1904, 83 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 78th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 33. 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 1.2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

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 handgun; pistol, in 0.6% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Louisville Police Department has 91 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman John Dolan

Louisville Police Department · End of Watch December 20, 1904

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 31-W

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