John Chambers
Agency patch
Police Officer

John Chambers

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA
Felonious
End of Watch September 12, 1894
Age 36
Tour of Duty 22 yrs 8 mo
Badge 345
The Vigil Panel 12 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer John Chambers succumb to gunshot wound two days earlier while serving a warrant on a subject at 2531 East Dauphin Street. When Officer Chambers entered the home the man ran upstairs and retrieved a Navy Colt revolver. As Policeman Chambers stepped onto the bottom of the stairs the man emerged at the top and opened fire, striking him in the chest. Another officer was able to pull Officer Chambers out of the home. He was taken to Episcopal Hospital where he was able to identify his assailant and give a statement of what happened before he died. The suspect, a well known Kensington tough, who had terrorized his neighborhood for several years, was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 8 years on January 30, 1895. He was refused a pardon on January 19, 1898. Officer Chambers served with the Philadelphia Police Department for more than 22 years and was assigned to the 26th District.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and five children.

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

132 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Police Officer Chambers gave the Philadelphia Police Department 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, PA
Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 12, 1894
Tour of Duty 22 yrs 8 mo
Age 36
Badge Number 345
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

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 1894, 70 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 103rd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 36. 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 22.6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

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, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Philadelphia Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer John Chambers

Philadelphia Police Department · End of Watch September 12, 1894

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 52-E

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