Death Classification: Line of Duty Death

Agency: South Park Police Department

Served: 11 months, 28 days

Unit of Assignment / Detail: Unit of Assignment Unknown

District of Incident (Present Day): 002 - Wentworth

Cause of Death: Fall - Thrown from Automobile

Age at Time of Death: 35

Timeline


Date of Birth: 07 Jun 1896

Date of Appointment: 20 Jan 1931

Date of Incident: 002 - Wentworth

End of Watch: 17 Jan 1932

Date of Interment: 20 Jan 1932

 

Interment Details


 Cemetery: St. Mary Catholic Cemetery - Evergreen Park, Illinois
 Grave Location: Lot S15, Block 20, Section C
 Interment Disposition: Burial

 

Memorial Details


Superintendent’s Honored Star Case: Panel # C-3

Gold Star Families Memorial Wall: Panel # 20

Illinois Police Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 2, Line 32

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall: Panel # 34-E: 2

Officer Down Memorial Page: Listed

 

Service


 Military Service: No Military Record Found

 

Incident & Biographic Details


Park Policeman Arthur Robert Wittbrodt, Sr., Star #271, aged 35 years, was an 11 month, 28 day veteran of the South Park Police Department, unit of assignment unknown.

On January 16, 1932. Officer Wittbrodt, while on foot patrol, learned of a serious automobile crash. At 53rd Street and Michigan Avenue, Officer Wittbrodt commandeered a passing vehicle and ordered the driver to take him to the scene of the crash. Officer Wittbrodt jumped on the running board of the vehicle and as the citizen responded to the scene he braked suddenly to avoid striking another car. Officer Wittbrodt was thrown from the vehicle and sustained fatal injuries in the fall. He was taken to Chicago Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries the next day on January 17, 1932.

Officer Wittbrodt was waked at his residence, 5304 South Wolcott Avenue. He was laid to rest on January 20, 1932 in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery, 3801 West 87th Street, Evergreen Park, Illinois. His grave is located in Lot S15, Block 20, Section C.

Park Policeman Arthur Robert Wittbrodt, Sr., born June 7, 1896, received his Probationary Appointment to the South Park Police Department on January 20, 1931.

Officer Wittbrodt was survived by his common law wife; Pearl (nee Prarowski), age 25 and children: Arthur Robert, Jr., age 1 and Rita Genevieve, age 4.

The South Park Police Department, in the City of Chicago, was disbanded on April 30, 1934. On May 1, 1934, the remaining officers were transferred to the Chicago Park District Police Department, which was organized on the same date. Three park District police departments, Lincoln, West, and South were consolidated into the Chicago Park District Police Department. Fallen Officer of the South Park Police Department are currently honored on the memorial wall of the Chicago Police Department as Chicago Police Officers. Their stars are displayed in the Honored Star Case located in the lobby of the Chicago Police Department at 3510 South Michigan Avenue.