Thomas V. Boylan
Agency patch
Inspector

Thomas V. Boylan

Accident
End of Watch April 5, 1952
Age 53
Tour of Duty 30 yrs
Badge No
The Vigil Panel 88 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Inspector Thomas Boylan was killed when cargo from a crashing airplane struck his police vehicle in Jamaica, Queens. At approximately 8:25 am, Inspector Boylan and a Patrolman were on patrol when without warning, a C-46 cargo plane the missed the runway at Idlewild Airport (now JFK International Airport), suddenly plunged into a row of houses on 169th Street and 88th Avenue, directly in front of them. Debris from the plane struck the patrol car killing Inspector Boylan. The patrolman survived the incident. Inspector Boylan was the commanding officer of the 22nd Police Division in Queens. In February 1954 a Police Athletic League youth center was named in Inspector Boylan's honor. Inspector Boylan had served with the New York City Police Department for 30 years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and daughter.

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

30 years. You could have gone home.
Inspector Boylan gave the New York City Police Department 30 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Inspector Boylan.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch April 5, 1952
Tour of Duty 30 yrs
Age 53
Badge Number No
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Thomas 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1952, 52 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 90th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 53. 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. Thomas had served 30 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

April holds 7% 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

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Inspector Thomas V. Boylan

New York City Police Department · End of Watch April 5, 1952

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 20-E

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