Police Officer

Robert Mann Stafford

Cook County Highway Police — Chicago, IL
Accident
End of Watch October 15, 1922
Age 29
The Vigil Panel 44 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Robert Stafford and Police Officer Henry Westlund both succumbed to injuries when their police motorcycles collided on River Road, between Higgins Road and Des Plaines, on October 14th, 1922.

Officer Stafford was transported to Montrose Hospital, where he died the following day. Officer Westlund was transported to Iroquois Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries on October 24th, 1922.

Officer Stafford was survived by his wife.

Survivors

Officer Stafford was survived by his wife.

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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Stafford served with the Cook County Highway Police.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Stafford.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cchpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 15, 1922
Age 29
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Motorcycle crash

The Sacrifice · Accident

Robert is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 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 1922, 82 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 23rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Robert was 29. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36.

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

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Sundays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Cook County Highway Police has 13 officers remembered here, Robert among them.

VI

Where

Police Officer Robert Mann Stafford

Cook County Highway Police · End of Watch October 15, 1922

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 24-E

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