San Francisco Police Department, California
End of Watch Tuesday, May 3, 1977
Add to My HeroesJoseph W. Boswell
Patrol Special Police Officer Joseph Boswell was shot and killed when he interrupted a drugstore robbery on his post. Three suspects had taken the five drugstore employees hostage. When Patrol Special Police Officer Boswell visited the drugstore at 9:00 pm, the suspects shot him twice with a 12-gauge shotgun and once with a hand gun.
Patrol Special Police Officer Boswell had served as a special officer for 20 years.
Bio
- Age 53
- Tour 20 years
- Badge 2645
Incident Details
- Cause Gunfire
- Weapon Shotgun; 12 gauge
- Offender At large
Most Recent Reflection
View all 14 ReflectionsI knew Joe.
He was a kind and dedicated man.
I worked at the Arco station directly across the freeway from the pharmacy where he was shot.
He stopped in earlier in the evening for a cup of machine made coffee.
Civilian - John Olsen
N/A
June 1, 2022
Recent LODD Deaths
![Segus R. Jolivette](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27106/c_2024_jolivette.jpg)
Senior Corporal Segus R. Jolivette
Lafayette Police Department, LA
EOW: July 25, 2024
![Mohamed Said](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27101/police-officer-mohamed-said.jpg)
Corporal Mohamed Said
Melvindale Police Department, MI
EOW: July 21, 2024
![Edgar Ordonez](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27100/c_edgar-ordonez.jpg)
Probationary Police Officer Edgar Ordonez
New York City Police Department, NY
EOW: July 10, 2024
![Robert William Sumner](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27096/c_robert-sumner.png)
Corporal Robert William Sumner
Oklahoma Department of Corrections, OK
EOW: July 14, 2024
![Matthew Bowen](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27095/police-officer-matthew-bowen.jpg)
Police Officer Matthew Bowen
Vacaville Police Department, CA
EOW: July 11, 2024
Deputy Sheriff Fernando Esqueda
Harris County Sheriff's Office, TX
EOW: July 11, 2024
![Kevin Linn Palmer](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27091/c_k._palmer.jpg)
Assistant Chief Kevin Linn Palmer
North Richland Hills Police Department, TX
EOW: May 1, 2024
![Jamieson Ritter](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27085/police-officer-jamieson-ritter.jpg)
Police Officer Jamieson Ritter
Cleveland Division of Police, OH
EOW: July 4, 2024
![William Butler, Jr.](https://www.odmp.org/media/thumb/125/officer/27084/c_butler-bill.jpg)
Deputy Sheriff William Butler, Jr.
Hillsdale County Sheriff's Office, MI
EOW: June 27, 2024