Death Classification: Line of Duty Death
Agency: Chicago Police Department
Served: 17 years, 11 months, 3 days
Unit of Assignment / Detail: Traffic Division
District of Incident (Present Day): 001 - Central
Cause of Death: Fall - From Streetcar
Age at Time of Death: 45
Timeline
Date of Birth: 20 Mar 1886
Date of Appointment: 05 Jun 1913
Date of Incident: 02 Apr 1931
End of Watch: 03 Apr 1931
Date of Interment: 08 Apr 1931
Interment Details
Cemetery: All Saints Catholic Cemetery - Des Plaines, Illinois
Grave Location: Grave 3, Lot S12, Block 8, Section 6
Interment Disposition: Burial
Memorial Details
Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Not Enshrined
Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 23
Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 2, Line 29
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 4-E: 13
Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed
Service
Military Service: No Military Record Found
Incident & Biographic Details
Sergeant Patrick Joseph Costello, Star #696, aged 45 years, was a 17 year, 11 month, 3 day veteran of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Traffic Division.
On April 2, 1931, at 3:30 p.m., Sergeant Costello was on duty supervising traffic officers at various intersections and had just finished checking on an officer. His next stop was to be Roosevelt Road and Halsted Street. Sergeant Costello attempted to board a Westbound Roosevelt Road trolley and at Van Buren and LaSalle Streets he lost his hold. He slipped from the step of a trolley and struck his head on the pavement in which he sustained a skull fracture. Sergeant Costello was transported to Alexian Brothers Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 12:00 a.m. on April 3, 1931.
Officer Costello was waked at his residence located at 1015 West School Street. His funeral mass was held at St. Andrew Parish Church located at 3546 North Paulina Street. He was laid to rest on April 8, 1931 in All Saints Catholic Cemetery, 700 North River Road, Des Plaines, Illinois. His grave is located in Grave 3, Lot S12, Block 8, Section 6.
Sergeant Patrick Joseph Costello, born March 20, 1886, received a Temporary Appointment, # Unknown, to the Chicago Police Department on August 11, 1919 and was issued Star # Unknown. He received his Probationary Appointment to the Chicago Police Department on June 5, 1913 and was issued Star #4433. On May 6, 1922, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and issued Star #696. He had been a chauffeur for General Superintendent Morgan Collins during his administration. Prior to joining the Chicago Police Department he was a ST. Fireman.
Sergeant Costello was a member of the Chicago Policemen’s Benevolent & Welfare Association. He was survived by his wife, Mary J. (nee Byrne), age 48; children: Ann Celia, age 9, Elizabeth Jane, age 7, Mary Catherine, age 16 Patricia, age 12 and siblings: John, Mrs. L. Flume and Mrs. M. McGlone. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Ann, age 2.