Roll of Honor
Festus Alvah Tatum, Jr.
Incident
Police Officer Festus Tatum was killed in a motorcycle crash while escorting a funeral procession on Parker Avenue at Hampton Road. The last car in the procession had just cleared an intersection, and Officer Tatum passed the procession to clear the next intersection. As he did so, a boy riding a motor scooter pulled out of Hampton Roads, passed through the procession, and collided with Officer Tatum. He was thrown into a tree and suffered severe head injuries. Officer Tatum had served with the West Palm Beach Police Department for four years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-0E4070F2- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Tatum gave the West Palm Beach Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the West Palm Beach community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Tatum.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Festus Alvah Tatum, Jr. is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In FL, 313 of 1,008 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At West Palm Beach Police Department, 5 of 13 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 38.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Festus Alvah Tatum, Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Festus Alvah Tatum, Jr. Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Festus Alvah Tatum, Jr. is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
12 officers from West Palm Beach Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
