Retired St. Paul Police Officer Dies, Was It Line-of-Duty?
Retired St. Paul Police Officer Dies, Was It Line-of-Duty? The law enforcement community is mourning the loss of retired St. Paul Police Officer Felicia Reilly, who passed away on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the age of 67. Reilly, a dedicated public servant, is remembered as a compassionate and devoted officer whose service left a lasting impact on the city she loved.
Reilly, a 17-year veteran of the St. Paul Police Department (SPPD), died from complications related to injuries she sustained in the line of duty. The St. Paul Police Retirement Association (SPPRA) confirmed that her passing was linked to a traumatic brain injury she suffered during a violent encounter in 2010.
Line-of-Duty Incident
In March 2010, Reilly responded to a 911 hang-up call at the home of Thomas Swenson on the 1600 block of Birmingham Street. Reports indicated that Swenson, who had stopped taking his bipolar disorder medication, had been drinking and was threatening others in the home. When Reilly arrived on the scene and attempted to de-escalate the situation, Swenson ignored her commands and violently attacked her. Witnesses stated that he struck Reilly in the back of the head multiple times, leaving her with severe injuries, including double vision, chronic migraines, and memory loss.
During the subsequent trial, Swenson’s parents contested the nature of the attack, suggesting that Reilly's injuries resulted from a fall. However, a Ramsey County jury found Swenson guilty of first-degree and fourth-degree assault on a police officer, as well as obstructing the legal process. He was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison.
A Career Cut Short
Reilly's injuries forced her into early retirement in 2013, ending a distinguished career that began in 1996. Her son, Ben Reilly, described how the attack permanently altered her life.
"We lost our mom that day," he said. "If you ask my dad, her end of watch was March 24, 2010. She never came home from that call."
Ben Reilly emphasized that his mother had always dreamed of becoming a police officer and serving the people of St. Paul.
"She really loved serving the people of St. Paul, and St. Paul was the city she loved. She wanted to be a St. Paul cop," he said.
Determining Cause of Death
The St. Paul Police Department has not yet determined whether Reilly's brain injuries directly contributed to her passing. If confirmed, she would be recognized as the first female officer in St. Paul’s history to die from injuries sustained in the line of duty.
Remembering Officer Reilly
Throughout her tenure with the SPPD, Reilly was known for her unwavering dedication to public safety and her compassion for the community she served. Colleagues, friends, and loved ones recall her as an inspiration and a true hero whose service left a lasting legacy.
The St. Paul Police Department, which has a long-standing history dating back to 1854, employs approximately 800 personnel, including 575 sworn officers. Reilly's contributions to the department and the city will not be forgotten.
Funeral arrangements for Officer Reilly are pending at this time. The law enforcement community and the city of St. Paul stand together in mourning the loss of a dedicated officer whose service and sacrifice will be remembered for years to come.
Attributions
John J Wiley
Radio Show Host and Producer
Retired from the Baltimore Police Department at the rank of Sergeant. He was retired early due a permanent line of duty injury that occurred during an act of violence. The injury resulted in 3 surgeries, two steel plates and a fusion of his right wrist and thumb.
About 8 years after retiring from police work, he began a career in the audio broadcasting space. Starting with "audio-blogs" in 1999. Which progressed into a brokered once a week radio show and then led to broadcasting school.
After graduating he has been a full time FM radio personality and launched the Law Enforcement Today Show as a podcast in March of 2017. This was in a partnership with Law Enforcement Today's Robert Greenberg. The show was quickly recruited by radio and is a nationally syndicated radio show, broadcasting weekly on many US Radio Stations to millions of people.
The partnership with them ended in the Summer of 2023 and the show was renamed the Law Enforcement Talk Radio Show and Podcast.
The radio show is syndicated by Talk Media Network. Go to the Radio Page of the site for more information.
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