Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 2 years, 6 months, 14 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: 9th District - Deering
District of Incident (Present Day): 009 - Deering
Cause of Death: Gunfire - Enemy
Age at Time of Death: 29
Timeline
Date of Birth: 03 Jun 1944
Date of Appointment: 26 Jul 1971
Date of Incident: 01 Feb 1974
End of Watch: 09 Feb 1974
Date of Interment: 13 Feb 1974
Interment Details
Cemetery: Burr Oak Cemetery - Alsip, Illinois
Grave Location: Unknown
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # D-6
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 12
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 3, Line 27
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 24-E: 7
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: U.S. Air Force
Incident & Biographic Details
Patrolman James Warren Campbell, Star #15250, aged 29 years, was a 2 year, 6 month, 14 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the 9th District – Deering.
On February 1, 1974, at aproximately 9:20 a.m., Officer Campbell was on duty inside a Currency Exchange located at 5111 South Halsted Street cashing a check in uniform. While Officer Campbell was filling out a money order, one of two male black assailants approached Officer Campbell from behind and grabbed his service revolver. A struggle over the firearm ensued and Officer Campbell was shot. As he fell to the ground he was shot three more times by the offender. Officer Campbell then tried to grab his service revolver and observed the offenders drop a small pistol as they fled the scene without taking any money. Two of the bullets struck Officer Campbell in the back severing his spinal cord leaving him partially paralyzed. He was transported to Billings Hospital by beat 971. While in the hospital he suffered from two heart attacks which required him undergo open-heart surgery. Officer Campbell died on the operating table and pronounced dead at 12:45 a.m. on February 9, 1974 by Dr. R. Prabahker.
No suspects have been identified or arrested in connection with Officer Campbell’s death. Alderman Anna Langford offered a $1000 reward, the Chicago Police Captain’s Association offered a $1000 reward and the Community Currency Exchange Association offered a $5000 reward all for information leading to the arrest of the offender.
Officer Campbell was waked at A. A. Raynor and Sons Funeral Home located at 318 East 71st Street. His funeral mass was held at Progressive Baptist Church located at 3658 South Wentworth Avenue. He was laid to rest on February 13, 1974 in Burr Oak Cemetery, 4400 West 127th Street, Alsip, Illinois.
Patrolman James Warren Campbell, born June 3, 1944, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on July 26, 1971.
Officer Campbell served in the U.S. Air Force from 1963 to 1967 and was Honorably Discharged. He was survived by his fiancée, Yvette Stamps and children: Antoinette, age 12, Darren, age 10; mother, Olivia; step-father; two sisters; two brothers; two step-sisters and one step-brother. He was preceded in death by his father.
Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department RD #P045611.
On May 21, 1998, Officer Campbell’s star was retired by Superintendent Terry G. Hillard and enshrined in the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, located in the lobby at Chicago Police Headquarters, 1121 South State Street. In 2000, Chicago Police Headquarters moved to a new facility at 3510 South Michigan Avenue, Officer Campbell’s Star was re-encased in the new headquarters building lobby.