James G. Helm
Agency patch
Officer

James G. Helm

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Accident
End of Watch February 11, 1928
Age 43
Badge 867
The Vigil Panel 54 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer James Helm was killed when his police motorcycle struck a truck carrying illegal alcohol ingredients on Bladensburg Road, NE. He was chasing another vehicle he suspected of being a rum runner when he crashed into the truck at the intersection of Bladensburg Road and 30th Street. Officer Helm was assigned to the Twelfth Precinct. was survived by his wife and two children.

Survivors

was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-DC-2F9207FE
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.
Officer Helm served with the Metropolitan Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Helm.

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

Agency

Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 11, 1928
Age 43
Badge Number 867
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Officer James G. Helm 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 DC, 454 of 1,419 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 32% of this state's fallen. That is 1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Metropolitan Police Department, 48 of 131 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 36.6% of this agency's fallen.

Metropolitan Police Department
48
of 131 officers
36.6% Accident
DC — Statewide
454
of 1,419 officers
32% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James G. Helm's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How James G. Helm Compares

Age at End of Watch
43
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James G. Helm is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location