Incident
Officer Galler suffered a fatal heart attack shortly after rescuing three people from a gas-filled room on Plane Street. After pulling the three people from the room he assisted in reviving them. He then began to feel ill and was taken to City Hospital and placed in an oxygen tent. He died a short time later. Officer Galler had been with the agency for 23 years and was assigned to the Emergency Squad.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtper430bvtqvx94nq2kh- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew John. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
23 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Galler gave the Newark Police Division 23 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Newark community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Galler.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Cardiac
Newark Police Division has lost 58 officers; 3 of them lost to cardiac events.
John is one of 38 officers lost to cardiac events in NJ, 5.9% of the 647 remembered there.
John is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,551 remembered there.
John is one of 1,309 officers lost to cardiac events worldwide, 3.8% of the 34,117 remembered here.
34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1950, 1 officer in NJ was lost to cardiac events, the 6th heaviest of 32 years on record. The heaviest was 1965, with 3.
In 1950, 11 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 54th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
In 1950, 11 officers worldwide were lost to cardiac events, the 54th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
Who
John was 49. Of the 35 lost to cardiac events in NJ whose age is recorded, half were between 44 and 56; the middle age was 48. John had served 23 years; the middle length of service was 16.5 years.
John was 49. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. John had served 23 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
John was 49. Of the 1,251 lost to cardiac events worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 42.5 and 55; the middle age was 48. John had served 23 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
When
November holds 7.9% of these deaths in NJ; July holds the most, 13.2%. Tuesdays: 18.4%.
November holds 8.6% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Tuesdays: 13.9%.
November holds 8.6% of these deaths worldwide; January holds the most, 9.5%. Tuesdays: 13.9%.
How
Cardiac deaths account for 5.2% of all 58 deaths at Newark Police Division, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 5.9% of all 647 deaths in NJ, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 3.8% of all 34,117 deaths worldwide, the 4th most common cause.
His people
Newark Police Division has 58 officers remembered here, John among them.
-
Maxwell Badgley Oct 23, 1854
-
Benjamin Ellsden Jul 13, 1876
-
Stanley J. Brock Aug 8, 1876
-
Thomas Lyons Apr 14, 1885
-
John Sebold
Mar 9, 1886
-
John J. McGovern
Oct 13, 1912
-
John J. Gaffney
Dec 7, 1912
-
James P. Parkinson Apr 19, 1914
-
William H. Hopkins
Jun 21, 1917
-
Thomas S. Adubato
Aug 17, 1918
-
Patrick J. Ryan
Jul 16, 1919
-
Thomas J. Downey
Jan 4, 1922
-
Cedric J. Peterson
May 22, 1922
-
Edward Bonnet
Aug 29, 1923
-
John Laubenstein Feb 20, 1924
-
John T. Plunkett Dec 12, 1924
-
Joseph Nichols
Oct 31, 1925
-
William A. Frederick
Dec 14, 1927
-
Alfred Thiele Feb 6, 1929
-
Charles A. Robbins
Mar 18, 1929
-
Robert W. Anderson
Mar 5, 1930
-
Albert Houston
Sep 16, 1932
-
Edward Dehmer, Sr.
Dec 1, 1933
-
Charles J. Gerstner, Jr. Nov 30, 1934
-
Albert E. Seltzer
Oct 9, 1935
-
Joseph J. Baumann
Sep 18, 1942
-
Theodore Laux
Feb 4, 1950
-
John F. Galler
Nov 28, 1950
-
Jack Woomer
Jul 10, 1957
-
Howard K. Downes
Feb 10, 1958
-
Joseph C. Hagel
Mar 15, 1961
-
Francis J. Shannon
Mar 29, 1963
-
John C. Gutekunst
Oct 16, 1965
-
Walter A. Debold
Dec 12, 1965
-
Frederick W. Toto
Jul 14, 1967
-
Robert M. LaMotta
Oct 27, 1967
-
Leslie Haskins, Jr.
Mar 13, 1970
-
Frank C. Irvin
Mar 29, 1973
-
Richard P. Burns, Sr.
Feb 23, 1975
-
John William Snow
Aug 13, 1976
-
Arthur L. Williams
Mar 1, 1978
-
John F. Gottfried
Nov 28, 1980
-
John Walter Sczyrek Jr.
Jun 3, 1993
-
Dewey Joe Sherbo, III
Nov 9, 1997
-
Melvin Lisojo
Jun 24, 2003
-
Dwayne Anthony Reeves
Jul 18, 2005
-
Tommaso Popolizio
Mar 3, 2007
-
Michael Morgan, Jr.
Nov 7, 2011
-
Reinaldo Arocha, Jr.
Sep 16, 2014
-
Tolbert A. Furr
Apr 3, 2020
-
Michael Alexander Conners
Apr 30, 2020
-
Michael W. Clegg
May 10, 2020
-
Irving Gene Callender, III
Aug 22, 2020
-
Marcus Thomas
Sep 28, 2020
-
Hector Moya
Jan 13, 2021
-
Brian K. McAdams, Sr.
Jan 22, 2021
-
Richard Weber
May 1, 2023
-
Joseph Anthony Azcona
Mar 8, 2025
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 40-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Others Who Wore This Badge
57 officers from Newark Police Division are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.















