James P. Carter, Jr.

Newton Police Department — West Newton, MA

Felonious Veteran →

End of Watch December 3, 1978

Age 37

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

The Vigil Panel 120 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 4

Incident

Sergeant Carter was struck and killed by a stolen car that was being driven by a 20-year-old man at a high rate of speed at 0130 hours. The driver and a companion were leaving from the scene of a armed robbery in Auburndale when they forced a man at gunpoint to surrender his car. Sergeant Carter had stopped a speeder when the suspect car came over a hill, struck his patrol car, and them him. Both were apprehended the next day in South Boston. The driver was sentenced to 17 years but was released after only 18 months. Sergeant Carter had been with the agency for 11 years and was survived by his three children. He was a U.S. Army Veteran.

Survivors

Sergeant Carter had been with the agency for 11 years and was survived by his three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-F0B4B82F
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Sergeant Carter gave the Newton Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the West Newton community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Newton Police Department

Type Police Department

Location West Newton, Middlesex County, MA

Platform Identity newtpd.middlesex.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 3, 1978

Tour of Duty 11 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

James P. Carter, Jr. served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Sergeant James P. Carter, Jr. is one of 17,558 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 53.9% of all 32,585 officers honored here.

In MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 11.5 percentage points below the national rate of 53.9%.

At Newton Police Department, 3 of 5 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Newton Police Department

of 5 officers

60% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,558

of 32,585 officers

53.9% Felonious