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Joseph P. Reilly
Agency patch
Patrolman

Joseph P. Reilly

New York City Police Department — New York, NY
Accident
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch February 16, 1923
Age 39
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Badge 2883
The Vigil Panel 44 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 1,221

Incident

Patrolman Reilly was shot and killed while on duty. Patrolman Reilly entered the service of the City of New York as a Patrolman in the Aqueduct Police Force, whose responsibility was to protect and guard the building of a water supply from the Catskill Mountains to the City of New York. He was in this service from 1910 to 1915. He was then appointed Prison Keeper in the Department of Corrections, City of New York, and served at the New York City Reformatory at New Hampton Farms, at the Harts Island Reformatory and other prisons. On March 16th, 1920, he was appointed to the position of Patrolman in the New York City Police Department and continued in such capacity until he died in Bellevue Hospital on February 16th, 1923 after being shot accidentally on the morning of February 13th, 1923. Another officer was turning the hand crank to start his patrol car when he accidentally hit his revolver causing it to dislodge from its holster. When the revolver hit the ground it discharged killing Patrolman Reilly. Patrolman Reilly was assigned to the 21st Precinct. Reilly was survived by his wife and four young children. H

Survivors

Reilly was survived by his wife and four young children.

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.
Patrolman Reilly gave the New York City Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Reilly.

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

Agency

Department New York City Police Department
Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 16, 1923
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Age 39
Badge Number 2883
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

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

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1923, 77 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 31st heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph was 39. 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. Joseph had served 13 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

February holds 7.2% 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

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Across the years

Patrolman Joseph P. Reilly

New York City Police Department · End of Watch February 16, 1923

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 53-E

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