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James L. Daggett
Agency patch
Detective

James L. Daggett

New York City Police Department — New York, NY
Accident
United States flag New York flag
End of Watch September 10, 1951
Age 38
Badge 727
The Vigil Panel 87 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 1,221

Incident

James L. Daggett was a detective with the Safe, Loft and Truck Squad, carrying shield 727.

At about half past nine on the night of 10 September 1951, he and four other detectives watched four men, two of them known safecrackers, carry paper and cartons into a loft building at 9 West 18th Street in Manhattan. Two of the men drove away and were stopped and arrested, and they confessed that the building was about to be set on fire. Detective Daggett and two colleagues ran inside to arrest the other two. As they were bringing them out, an explosion tore through the building. Daggett and one of the arsonists were killed on the spot. Detective Howard Phelan was blown through a wall and crawled into the street with his clothes on fire, and survived. The other arsonist died two days later. The blast shattered the nine-storey building and set off a five-alarm fire. The two surviving men were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life.

He was 38 and was survived by his father, two brothers and a sister. On 3 December 1951 Police Launch 13 was christened The Detective James L. Daggett, the first department boat named for an officer killed in police duty.

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October 17, 2026

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Daggett served with the New York City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the New York community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Daggett.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department New York City Police Department
Type Police Department
Location New York, NY
Platform Identity nypd.newyork.ny.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 10, 1951
Age 38
Badge Number 727
Gender Male
Assignment Safe, Loft, & Truck Squad

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

James is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1951, 70 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 48th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 38. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

September holds 9.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Mondays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

New York City Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective James L. Daggett

New York City Police Department · End of Watch September 10, 1951

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 23-W

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