26-Year Chicago Police Veteran Sergeant Timothy Martin Dies After Being Found Unresponsive at Albany Park Station

The latest: CPD mourns veteran sergeant following station tragedy in Albany Park

CHICAGO — November 11, 2026.

A somber pall settled over the Chicago Police Department on Tuesday night after Sergeant Timothy Martin, a highly respected 26-year veteran of the force, died after being discovered unresponsive inside the Albany Park District station on the city’s Northwest Side.

Fellow officers discovered the 49-year-old supervisor in medical distress shortly before 5:00 PM inside the 17th District headquarters, located at 4650 North Pulaski Road. Paramedics from the Chicago Fire Department administered emergency resuscitation measures on scene before rushing Sergeant Martin under heavy police escort to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in Lakeview, where he was pronounced dead.

Department leadership and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that preliminary findings indicate the death was an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, though official autopsy results and toxicology determinations remain pending.

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Sergeant Martin joined the Chicago Police Department in December 2000, dedicating more than a quarter-century to public safety across multiple high-tempo patrol districts and specialized tactical units. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2017, earning widespread praise from subordinates and senior commanders for his calm operational mentorship and steady field leadership.

Throughout his decorated career, Martin earned dozens of departmental commendations, including problem-solving awards, unit citations, and honorable mentions for disarming violent offenders and de-escalating dangerous street confrontations.

“Sergeant Martin gave his entire adult life in service to the people of Chicago,” Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling said in a heartfelt statement to the department. “He was a steadfast leader, a loyal partner, and a friend to so many who wore the badge alongside him. Our hearts ache for his family, his friends, and the men and women of the 17th District.”

Following the pronouncement at Illinois Masonic, hundreds of rank-and-file officers, district commanders, and fraternal leaders gathered outside the hospital’s emergency pavilion to pay their respects. Flashing blue lights lined Wellington Avenue as a solemn motorcade of police cruisers, motorcycle units, and command vans escorted Martin’s body to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s facility on West Harrison Street.

Members of Chicago's Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 7 mobilized peer support teams and chaplains to assist Martin’s family and provide immediate counseling resources to officers on duty at the 17th District.

“This is an excruciating reminder of the invisible emotional burdens and relentless trauma carried by our first responders every single day,” said FOP Lodge 7 representatives in a joint statement. “We ask every Chicagoan to keep Sergeant Martin’s loved ones in their prayers.”

The tragedy has reignited intense focus on mental health resources and suicide prevention within municipal law enforcement agencies across Illinois. In response to the loss, CPD's Professional Counseling Division deployed crisis intervention specialists to conduct debriefing sessions at the Albany Park stationhouse and across neighboring Northwest Side commands.

City officials and peer support advocates emphasized that confidential, 24/7 psychological support services, peer support hotlines, and specialized first responder assistance programs are available without stigma or professional repercussions.

If you or someone you know is in crisis or emotional distress, help is available. Call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call the 24/7 First Responder Support Line at 1-800-267-5463.

Chronological sequence of Sergeant Timothy Martin’s service and Tuesday’s events:

1. December 2000 Timothy Martin enters the Chicago Police Academy, beginning his law enforcement career.
2. 2001–2016 Martin serves as a patrol officer and field training officer across several North and West Side districts.
3. August 2017 Martin is officially promoted to the rank of sergeant, taking on supervisory duties.
4. Tuesday, Nov 10, 2026 (4:45 PM CST) Fellow officers discover Sergeant Martin unresponsive inside the 17th District station on Pulaski Road.
5. Tuesday, Nov 10, 2026 (5:15 PM CST) CFD ambulance transports Martin under police escort to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
6. Tuesday, Nov 10, 2026 (6:00 PM CST) Medical staff pronounce Sergeant Martin deceased; CPD leadership notifies family members.
7. Tuesday Night, Nov 10, 2026 Solemn motorcade escorts Sergeant Martin to the Cook County Medical Examiner's facility.

The red star marks the Chicago Police Department’s 17th District (Albany Park) station at 4650 North Pulaski Road, where Sergeant Timothy Martin was discovered unresponsive on Tuesday afternoon.

Map: OpenStreetMap contributors. Area: 4650 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL 60630 (Coordinates: 41.9658° N, 87.7275° W).

Official funeral arrangements and memorial service details will be coordinated in accordance with the Martin family’s wishes over the coming days. The Chicago Police Memorial Foundation confirmed that financial and bereavement assistance is being extended to his survivors.

Superintendent Snelling ordered flags at all Chicago Police facilities to be flown at half-staff through the weekend in solemn remembrance of Sergeant Martin’s 26 years of dedicated service.

Reporting on this incident is corroborated through statements by the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune, WGN-TV Chicago, and the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Coordinates verified to CPD 17th District Station, 4650 N Pulaski Rd, Chicago, IL (41.9658° N, 87.7275° W).