James Charles Boswell

Houston Police Department — Houston, TX

Felonious

End of Watch December 9, 1989

Age 29

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Badge 2400

The Vigil Panel 135 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 116

Incident

Officer James Boswell was shot and killed by a man who claimed to be a DEA informant near the intersection of South Main Street and Westridge Street. Officer Boswell and his partner were on a traffic stop when the man, unrelated to the traffic stop, came up and began to knock on the officer's window. Officer Boswell rolled down the window and told the man to wait on the sidewalk. The man then began knocking on the window again and was again told to wait. The man then began banging on the roof and window a third time. Fearing the man would break the glass Officer Boswell exited the cruiser and told the man to wait down the street or he would be put in the cruiser. As he looked away to unlock the cruiser, the man pulled out a .38 caliber handgun and shot him in the head. The suspect began to run but was shot in the side by Officer Boswell's partner. The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The man was executed on November 19, 2002. Officer Boswell had been with the Houston Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents, sister, and three brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-D599C137
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 Boswell gave the Houston Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Boswell.

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

Agency

Department Houston Police Department

Location Houston, TX

Platform Identity hpd.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 9, 1989

Tour of Duty 5 yrs

Age 29

Badge Number 2400

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .38 caliber

Offender Executed in 2002

Police Officer James Charles Boswell is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Houston Police Department, 84 of 117 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.8% of this agency's fallen.

Houston Police Department

of 117 officers

71.8% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious