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Constable

James Quinn

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL

Felonious

End of Watch December 5, 1853

Age 39

Tour of Duty 9 mo

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 570

Incident

Constable James Quinn succumbed to injuries sustained in two previous incidents in which he was attacked and severely beaten while in the discharge of his duties.

The first attack occurred after he served a warrant on a man in a notorious hideout for criminals known as the Sands. Constable Quinn was walking the prisoner to the Watch House when the man asked to return inside to retrieve his property. As the two walked back inside the establishment's owner attacked him, breaking one a rib and injuring his jaw. The prisoner escaped during the attack.

The following evening an arrest warrant was delivered to Constable Quinn to be served on the subject who had escaped his custody the previous evening. Upon his return to the Sands, Constable Quinn came upon the subject who had assaulted him the night before, and was again attacked by this man. Quinn was thrown to the ground and kicked several times suffering fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

Despite being critically injured, Constable Quinn reported to roll call the following morning. He returned to the Sands a third time, resulting in the arrest of the original suspect and the owner who had attacked him.

Constable Quinn's condition worsened throughout the day, causing congestion of the brain. He succumbed to the injuries the following day.

The suspect was arrested, convicted and sentenced to 5 years in prison for killing Quinn.

Constable Quinn had been elected Constable of the Ninth Ward only 9 months earlier. In 1853, the Constable served a dual role as police officer during the early stages of the Chicago Police Department.

Constable Quinn's widow and three children were compensated $50 from city funds after the Police Department ruled that Quinn was killed in the discharge of his duty.

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

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Tributes

173 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable Quinn served with the Chicago Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— 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 December 5, 1853

Tour of Duty 9 mo

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Assault

Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James 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.

Compare against

Time

In 1853, 5 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 182nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

James was 39. 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. James 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

December holds 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 person, in 2% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded