James H. Nerison
Agency patch
Police Officer

James H. Nerison

Alhambra Police Department — Alhambra, CA
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch January 3, 1933
Age 30
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 65 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer James Nerison was shot and killed while he and three other officers attempted to arrest a man who was attempting to blow the safe at the Alhambra Theater, at the intersection of Atlantic Boulevard and Main Street. The man fled through a side door where an accomplice was waiting. They opened fire with sawed-off shotguns fatally wounding Officer Nerison as they made their escape. The men had just robbed two other theaters and had stolen a total of $2,500. They also shot and wounded a Los Angeles detective during one of the other robberies. The suspects were never apprehended. Officer Nersison was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Alhambra Police Department for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-50FE53B4
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.
Police Officer Nerison gave the Alhambra Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Alhambra 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

Type Police Department
Location Alhambra, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity alhapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 3, 1933
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 30
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

Military Service

James H. Nerison served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer James H. Nerison 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Alhambra Police Department, 2 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Alhambra Police Department
2
of 4 officers
50% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James H. Nerison's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How James H. Nerison Compares

Age at Death
30
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James H. Nerison is highlighted in Jan.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James H. Nerison was killed by shotgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

James H. Nerison served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.

Visit James H. Nerison’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.