Sergeant John James Collins | Star #1006

Sergeant John James Collins, Star #1006, aged 51 years, was a 27 year, 8 month, 22 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Operational Services – Traffic Division: Unit 151 – Traffic Enforcement Section.

Sergeant John James Collins, Star #1006, aged 51 years, was a 27 year, 8 month, 22 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Bureau of Operational Services – Traffic Division: Unit 151 – Traffic Enforcement Section.

On February 7, 1984, at 4:50 a.m., Sergeant Collins was working beat 3210 in marked police vehicle #9922 when he began pursuing a traffic violator on the 2800 block of West Van Buren Street. He was chasing a 1972-73 Buick, black or brown in color, with his emergency equipment activated. While in pursuit, the fleeing vehicle struck the right front of Sergeant Collins’ car, forcing it into the rear of a parked truck at 2919 West Van Buren Street. The collision pushed the truck into a cyclone fence damageing approximately 20 feet of the fence. The fleeing vehicle continued to flee westbount, proceeded through a red light at Sacramento Avenue, and entered the Eisenhower Expressway headed Westbound. Sergeant Collins lost conciousness and was found slumped over the wheel after a citizen called 911 to report the crash. Responding units along with fire arrived and found the sergeant uncouncious behind the wheel. A witness, Mr. Mallory Dyer, age 25, of 2918 West Van Buren Street, was able to give investigating officers a full picture of events. Sergeant Collins was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital by CFD Ambulance #33 where he was pronounced dead at 6:55 a.m. on February 7, 1984. He had regained concousness at the hospital shortly after arriving and suffered a heart attack shortly therafter. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office ruled the cause of death to be from blunt trauma, a trans-section of the thoracic and spine, a broken neck.

Sergeant Collins was waked at Blake-Lamb Funeral Home located at 10456 South Western Avenue and was laid to rest on February 10, 1984 in Evergreen Cemetery, 3401 West 87th Street, Evergreen Park, Illinois.

Sergeant John James Collins, born June 6, 1932, received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on November 13, 1967. He previously served on the Area 2 and Area 4 Task Forces during his career.

Sergeant Collins served in the U.S. Coast Guard from March 5, 1952 to March 4, 1955 and was Honorably Discharged at the rank of Seaman. He was also a member of the Police Benevolent & Protective Association. Sergeant Collins was survived by his wife: Joyce Ann (nee Albino) and children: Curt Edwin, age 18, Glenn, age 21, Jacqueline Judith, age 25, Kim (ISP), age 29 and Todd Matthew, age15. He was preceded in death by his parents: Colette (nee Liston) and John.

Incident Recorded under Chicago Police Department RD #F768771.

On June 27, 2007, Sergeant Collins’ star was retired by Superintendent Philip J. Cline and enshrined in the Superintendent’s Honored Star Case, located in the lobby at Chicago Police Headquarters, 3510 South Michigan Avenue.