- Police Officers Memorial, Albany, NY
On this date in 1791, a posse in Stephentown, NY attempted to arrest local resident Whiting Sweeting on a warrant for theft. Sweeting resisted, and in the process of arresting him, Albany County Constable Darius Quimby was stabbed. Quimby later died of his wounds. He is commonly believed to be the first law enforcement officer killed in the line of duty in U.S. history. Sweeting was charged with Quimby’s murder. He was convicted in July of 1791 and was executed the following month.
Further reading:
Officer Down Memorial Page – Constable Darius Quimby (Note: This is one of many online sources that incorrectly state that Quimby was shot)
An NYCHS Timeline on Executions by Hanging in New York State
Ancestry Message Boards – Whiting Sweeting, Darius Quimby
John D.:
Wow…that DOES go way back…!
I would have thought it was much later.
And I would have also thought it would have happened in a much LARGER and established city, such as Boston, or Philadelphia.
At least JUSTICE was a lot SWIFTER in those days, eh?
Maybe if they instituted KNIFE-CONTROL back then…
Nah…never would have worked.
Good find.
Roll safe out there.
Hey, I used to live in Stephentown. Even today, it’s super-rural. Doesn’t even have its own police department.