John Patrick Kearney Sr.
Agency patch
Patrolman

John Patrick Kearney Sr.

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Accident
End of Watch July 2, 1909
Age 50
Tour of Duty 26 yrs 1 mo
The Vigil Panel 57 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman John P. Kearney died from injuries suffered the previous day after falling from a horse.

Patrolman Kearney was assigned to protect a wagon driver from striking union workers. The horse suddenly bolted when an automobile passed, throwing Patrolman Kearney to the ground.

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

26 years. You could have gone home.
Patrolman Kearney gave the Chicago Police Department 26 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Kearney.

— 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 2, 1909
Tour of Duty 26 yrs 1 mo
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

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
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1909, 24 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 119th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 50. 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. John had served 26.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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%. 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

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

Across the years

Patrolman John Patrick Kearney Sr.

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch July 2, 1909

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 13-W

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