427 Massachusetts Police Officers Have Died in the Line of Duty
Hundreds of Massachusetts police officers have died in the line of duty, including several from the local area.
The Officer Down Memorial Page, Inc. is a non-profit organization honoring America's fallen law enforcement officers. ODMP says, "More than 26,000 officers have died in the line of duty in the United States since 1776, and ODMP is honored to preserve their memories and give friends, family, other officers, and citizens alike the opportunity to remember the fallen and honor their sacrifices."
The Officer Down Memorial Page was founded in 1996 by James Madison University freshman Chris Cosgriff. The National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial Fund, Inc. assisted Cosgriff, providing access to "information about thousands of heroes who had given their lives in the line of duty."
Funds to keep the nonprofit operational come from events such as the National Police Week 5K in Washington, D.C., and the Officer Down Memorial Ride. ODMP also receives grants from the U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Assistance.
There have been 427 Massachusetts line of duty deaths since 1776. Two of those deaths occurred in New Bedford.
New Bedford Police Officer James G. England "was shot and killed with his own service weapon while struggling with a mentally disturbed suspect as he investigated a domestic call in a home." The 40-year-old England, an eight-year veteran of the department was killed on September 14, 1955.
Sergeant Michael Cassidy, a 52-year-old with 27 years on the force, "died as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty" on April 28, 2021.
Other area communities to experience "line of duty" police deaths include Fall River (seven), Dartmouth (one), Norton (one), Somerset (two), Swansea (two), Taunton (three) and Wareham (two).
Massachusetts State Police have suffered 35 losses and the Massachusetts Department of Corrections has had 14 line of duty deaths.
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