Forest J. Harris
Police Officer

Forest J. Harris

Birmingham Police Department — Birmingham, AL
Felonious
End of Watch February 8, 1935
The Vigil Panel 69 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Harris succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained one week earlier in an exchange of gunfire with robbery suspects in a local nightclub.

Both suspects were sentenced to death. One of them committed suicide while on death row. The second suspect was executed on June 12, 1936.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AL-1B056FEE
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.
Police Officer Harris served with the Birmingham Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Birmingham community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Harris.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Birmingham, Jefferson County, AL
Platform Identity birmpd.jefferson.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 8, 1935
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Police Officer Forest J. Harris is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 63 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Birmingham Police Department, 34 of 49 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.4% of this agency's fallen.

Birmingham Police Department
34
of 49 officers
69.4% Felonious
AL — Statewide
405
of 643 officers
63% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Forest J. Harris's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Forest J. Harris Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Forest J. Harris is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Forest J. Harris was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909