Samuel Reynolds
Agency patch
Patrolman

Samuel Reynolds

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA
Accident
End of Watch October 22, 1971
Age 33
Tour of Duty 8 mo
The Vigil Panel 109 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Samuel Reynolds succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained the previous day at 89 Bickford Avenue, near the Bromley-Heath Housing Project, while attempting to stop a vehicle related to a burglary.

As he and his partner were attempting to halt the vehicle his partner tripped and his service revolver fired accidentally. The round struck Patrolman Reynolds in his neck. He was taken to the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital where he succumbed to the wound the following day.

Patrolman Reynolds had served with the Boston Police Department for eight months and was assigned to the Housing Unit.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Reynolds served with the Boston Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Reynolds.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Roxbury Crossing, Suffolk County, MA
Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 22, 1971
Tour of Duty 8 mo
Age 33
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Gunfire (Inadvertent)

The Sacrifice · Accident

Samuel 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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1971, 79 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 29th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Samuel was 33. 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. Samuel had served 0.7 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Fridays: 15.1%.

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

Boston Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, Samuel among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Patrolman Samuel Reynolds

Boston Police Department · End of Watch October 22, 1971

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 47-W

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