James E. Harper Jr.

Memphis Police Department — Memphis, TN

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch February 12, 1964

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 99 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 93

Incident

Patrolman James Harper was killed when his patrol car was struck by a vehicle being operated by an intoxicated driver. He and his partner observed a speeding car and were attempting to stop it when the suspect's vehicle turned in front of their patrol car at the intersection of S Bellevue Boulevard (modern-day Elvis Presley Boulevard) and Ledger Road at 2:05 am. Patrolman Harper was transported to the hospital where he died several hours later. The vehicle that the officers were chasing was being driven by a man rushing his pregnant wife to the hospital because she had gone into labor. He was not charged. Patrolman Harper had served with the Memphis Police Department for one year.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TN-DB562DAA
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

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.
Patrolman Harper gave the Memphis Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Memphis 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 Memphis Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Memphis, Shelby County, TN

Platform Identity mpd.shelby.tn.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 12, 1964

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Military Service

James E. Harper Jr. served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman James E. Harper Jr. 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In TN, 498 of 769 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 64.8% of this state's fallen. That is 64.8 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Memphis Police Department, 53 of 94 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 56.4% of this agency's fallen.

Memphis Police Department

of 94 officers

56.4% Felonious

TN — Statewide

498

of 769 officers

64.8% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious