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John Joseph Brown
Sergeant

John Joseph Brown

Savannah Police Department — Savannah, GA
Accident
United States flag Georgia flag
End of Watch April 14, 1981
Age 49
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
The Vigil Panel 273 · Column 2 · Line 7 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 30

Incident

Sergeant J.J. Brown was accidentally shot and killed by a fellow officer during a shootout with a suspect who had fired at the officers. The shooting occurred at the intersection of Liberty Street and West Broad Street. The suspect was also shot and killed in the shootout. Sergeant Brown had served with the Savannah Police Department for 21 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

21 years. You could have gone home.
Sergeant Brown gave the Savannah Police Department 21 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Savannah community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Brown.

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

Agency

Department Savannah Police Department
Type Other
Location Savannah, Chatham County, GA
Platform Identity spd.chatham.ga.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 14, 1981
Tour of Duty 21 yrs
Age 49
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.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1981, 63 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 68th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

John was 49. 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 21 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%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

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

Savannah Police Department has 31 officers remembered here, John among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant John Joseph Brown

Savannah Police Department · End of Watch April 14, 1981

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 51-E

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