Patrolman

John J. Dempsey

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Accident
End of Watch July 14, 1894
Age 38
The Vigil Panel 12 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John Dempsey succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day when he was struck by a Grand Trunk Railroad train.

When the collision occurred, he was guarding the railroad crossing at the intersection of 26th Street and Stewart Avenue. He was taken to Mercy Hospital where he died the following day.

Patrolman Dempsey was assigned to the Seventh Precinct.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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.
Patrolman Dempsey 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

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 14, 1894
Age 38
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Struck by train

The Sacrifice · Accident

John 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.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1894, 19 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 120th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 38. 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

July holds 9.3% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.9%.

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

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

Across the years

Patrolman John J. Dempsey

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch July 14, 1894

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 61-E

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