James Lloyd Allen

Providence Police Department — Providence, RI

Felonious

End of Watch April 17, 2005

Age 50

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

The Vigil Panel 153 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Detective Sergeant James Allen was attacked and shot with his own service weapon while questioning a suspect about the stabbing and robbery of an 86-year-old woman earlier in the afternoon.

The attack took place at approximately 0100 hours inside the Providence Police Department headquarters.

The suspect was not under arrest, and his handcuffs had been removed during the questioning. After shooting Detective Allen, the suspect shot out a third-floor window and jumped from the building. He was captured a few blocks away and charged with one count of murder. He was found guilty of murder and subsequently sentenced to life in prison on October 10, 2006.

Detective Sergeant Allen had served with the Providence Police Department for 27 years and was posthumously promoted to the rank of Detective Sergeant.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and father, who is a retired police captain.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-RI-3662DE1E
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

27 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Sergeant Allen gave the Providence Police Department 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Providence community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Allen.

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

Agency

Department Providence Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Providence, Providence County, RI

Platform Identity provpd.providence.ri.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 17, 2005

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Officer's handgun

Detective Sergeant James Lloyd Allen 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 RI, 25 of 55 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 45.5% of this state's fallen. That is 45.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Providence Police Department, 5 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.6% of this agency's fallen.

Providence Police Department

of 9 officers

55.6% Felonious

RI — Statewide

of 55 officers

45.5% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious