Joseph Brodnik
Agency patch
Officer

Joseph Brodnik

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA
Felonious
End of Watch May 1, 1969
Age 41
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
The Vigil Panel 231 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Joseph Brodnik was shot and killed when he and his partner stopped two suspicious youths at 431 Alvarado Street. Officer Brodnik and his partner were working a burglary suppression unit in plain clothes and were operating an unmarked car in the Mission District. The suspects were part of a larger group of seven juveniles, and they had just committed a daytime burglary. During the confrontation, one of the youths grabbed Officer Brodnik's partner's gun and shot Officer Brodnik, killing him. His partner sustained severe injuries from being beaten by the juveniles. Six suspects were arrested and acquitted at trial. The seventh suspect fled the country. The suspect believed to have killed Officer Brodnik was later killed in prison. He had been sent to prison for committing an armed robbery in which he was shot and wounded by a San Francisco police officer. Officer Brodnik had served with the San Francisco Police Department for 13 years. He is survived by his wife and three children. One of Officer Brodnik's sons later became a San Francisco police officer.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtqm6rjmvevk5dh6dn3x0
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Joseph. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Brodnik gave the San Francisco Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Brodnik.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location San Francisco, CA
Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 1, 1969
Tour of Duty 13 yrs
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Joseph is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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 1969, 124 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 40th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Joseph was 41. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. 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

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

San Francisco Police Department has 106 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Joseph Brodnik

San Francisco Police Department · End of Watch May 1, 1969

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 64-W

↑