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Correctional Officer

James Walter Harbin II

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department — Las Vegas, NV

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch March 18, 1979

Age 22

Tour of Duty 1 mo

The Vigil Panel 266 · Column 1 · Line 16 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Also Remembered Department 24

Incident

Correctional Officer Jim Harbin was shot and killed while on his way to work when he interrupted a robbery at a local convenience store at 3500 E Charleston Boulevard. As he entered the store the clerk tried to warn him that a robbery was in progress. When the suspect saw Officer Harbin in uniform he opened fire, thinking Officer Harbin was a police officer. The suspect was apprehended after holding officers at bay for several hours. Officer Harbin previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He had served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for only six weeks and was scheduled to start the police academy the following month.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. James is one person.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Correctional Officer Harbin served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Las Vegas community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Las Vegas, Clark County, NV

Platform Identity lvmpd.clark.nv.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 18, 1979

Tour of Duty 1 mo

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

James Walter Harbin II served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1979, 136 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 31st heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

James was 22. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. James had served 0.1 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

March holds 7.5% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 15.2%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun, in 22.8% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded