Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman James Elder was died from blood poisoning nearly five weeks after he was thrown from the running board of a truck of the Louisville Gas & Electric Company at Preston and Oak streets. He suffered a fractured hip, during the treatment of which blood poisoning set in. Patrolman Elder had been investigating an accident at First and Oak Streets the day he was hurt and jumped on the running board of the truck for a lift to Preston Street, where he wished to interview a witness. At Preston Street the truck swerved, throwing him to the curbing. Patrolman Elder was preceded in death by four children, and was survived by his wife, two sons, daughter, parents, and brother. He is buried in Best Cemetery in Glensborough, Kentucky.
Survivors
Patrolman Elder was preceded in death by four children, and was survived by his wife, two sons, daughter, parents, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-KY-33EDA872- 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.
Patrolman Elder served with the Louisville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Louisville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Elder.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Patrolman James E. Elder is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In KY, 161 of 983 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 16.4% of this state's fallen. That is 14.6 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Louisville Police Department, 34 of 91 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 37.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James E. Elder's cause is highlighted.
How James E. Elder Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James E. Elder is highlighted in Sep.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
90 officers from Louisville Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
