Chicago – January 17, 2026
The Chicago Police Department gathered this past weekend to honor the life and legacy of former Superintendent James E. O’Grady, who died on January 5, 2026, at the age of 96. O’Grady, a second-generation Chicago police officer, joined the Department in 1952 and rose through the ranks to become superintendent in 1978, later serving again in an interim capacity in 1983.
Over a career spanning more than three decades, he earned the CPD’s Blue Star Award after suffering a critical gunshot wound while thwarting an armed robbery on State Street during the 1971 holiday season.
Colleagues remembered him as a “cop’s cop” whose leadership left a lasting imprint on both the Department and the City of Chicago. O’Grady also served as Cook County Sheriff from 1986 to 1990, extending his influence across the region’s largest law enforcement agencies. Memorial services reflected his deep Catholic faith and Irish heritage, as well as his long commitment to public service.
