Officer John Duty was struck and killed by a vehicle while he was on a traffic stop.

On September 12, 1991 at 7:45 am, Officer Duty was standing by the driver's side door of a vehicle he had stopped on the right side of Noyes near Jule Street. His motorcycle was parked behind the vehicle. A second car struck Officer Duty's motorcycle and the car he had stopped then struck Officer Duty knocking his helmet off and throwing Officer Duty 36 feet to the pavement. The driver of the striking vehicle said that he had been blinded by the sun. Officer Duty was comatose for three days before passing away. His funeral was attended by over 1500 police officers and civilians from several states.

Officer Duty, a 25 year veteran of the department, was well known to the children of St. Joseph as "Officer Friendly" and his primary duties were with the School Safety Program. Officer Duty had been a detective from February 1968 to January 1974. In January 1974, Officer Duty transferred to the Traffic Division and served as a Traffic Officer until the unit was disbanded in 1984. Officer Duty was survived by a wife and three children. Officer Duty previously served in the US Navy. Interred: Saint Joseph Memorial Park.