Police Officer Joseph P. Simunek

Joseph P. Simunek

Police Officer Joseph Simunek died as a result of complications of Spanish Influenza due to an outbreak at the 7th Police District on Magnolia Avenue.

A week earlier, ten officers attached to the Police District were stricken at the same time. Officer Simunek, Officer Ude, and Officer Mandeville were the only officers that died due to the outbreak. All three officers died within 24 hours of each other. At the time of their deaths, the St. Louis Police Department was 175 officers short due to World War I and the Spanish Influenza.

Officer Simunek was survived by his father, sister, and brother.

Effects of the 1918-1920 Influenza Pandemic on Law Enforcement

Also known as "Spanish Flu" or "LaGrippe," the Influenza Pandemic of 1918 to early 1920, infected an estimated 500 million people worldwide—about one-third of the planet’s population—and killed approximately 675,000 Americans. The effect of the influenza epidemic in the United States was so dire that the average life span in the U.S. fell by twelve years. The four waves of the flu began in March 1918 and ended in April 1920. Many officers contracted this virus due to the requirements of their job.

The names of every officer who died in the line of duty from the Influenza Pandemic will likely never be known. Still, ODMP researchers continue to uncover new cases as part of our mission never to forget the fallen.

Please click here to view ODMP's Influenza memorial, listing all known fallen officers from the pandemic.