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Keeper

Dennis O'Brien

New York State Department of Correctional Services — Albany, NY
Accident
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch January 11, 1904
Age 57
The Vigil Panel 19 ›
Gender Male
Incident Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 35

Incident

Keeper Dennis O'Brien was struck and killed by a train while searching for two escaped prisoners.

Keeper O'Brien had spent the day at the Bluff Point train station, looking for two inmates who had escaped the previous night from the state prison at Dannemora.

At approximately 1745 hours, Keeper O'Brien walked across the tracks to talk to someone on a freight train. Due to the cold weather, Keeper O'Brien had his collar pulled up and did not hear the approaching train, or a train brakeman calling out to him.

The train struck and instantly killed Keeper O'Brien.

Keeper O'Brien was assigned to the Clinton Correctional Facility.

At approximately 1745 hours, Keeper O'Brien walked across the tracks to talk to someone on a freight train. Due to the cold weather, Keeper O'Brien had his collar pulled up and did not hear the approaching train, or a train brakeman calling out to him.

Keeper O'Brien was assigned to the Clinton Correctional Facility.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and seven children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Keeper O'Brien served with the New York State Department of Correctional Services.
Thank you for your service to the Albany community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Keeper O'Brien.

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

Agency

Department New York State Department of Correctional Services
Type Corrections
Location Albany, Albany County, NY
Platform Identity nysdcscorr.albany.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 11, 1904
Age 57
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Dennis 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.

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Compare against
I

Time

In 1904, 28 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 116th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Dennis was 57. 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.

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

When

January holds 7.7% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

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 State Department of Correctional Services has 36 officers remembered here, Dennis among them.

Across the years

Keeper Dennis O'Brien

New York State Department of Correctional Services · End of Watch January 11, 1904

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 34-E

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