Stuart Shigeru Taira
Agency patch
Reserve Officer

Stuart Shigeru Taira

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA
Accident
End of Watch March 1, 1983
Age 28
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Badge R0835
The Vigil Panel 126 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Reserve Officer Stuart Taira was killed in a police helicopter crash. Reserve Officer Taira, who served as a photographer for the Air Support Unit, and two other officers were conducting aerial patrols following a tornado. In between patrols, the officers were dispatched to investigate a report of a burglar on a roof. As the helicopter took off it struck an unseen power line, causing it to crash. Everyone aboard the aircraft survived the initial impact with the ground. Reserve Officer Taira was able to exit the aircraft but returned to it in an attempt to rescue the other two officers. One of the helicopter's rotors struck Reserve Officer Taira in the head, killing him. Officer Taira had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for three years. He was survived by his parents, two sisters, and two brothers. He was posthumously awarded the department's Medal of Valor.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents, two sisters, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Reserve Officer Taira gave the Los Angeles Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Reserve Officer Taira.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 1, 1983
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 28
Badge Number R0835
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Stuart 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.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1983, 74 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 36th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Stuart was 28. 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. Stuart had served 3 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 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

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

Los Angeles Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Stuart among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Reserve Officer Stuart Shigeru Taira

Los Angeles Police Department · End of Watch March 1, 1983

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 6-E

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