James L. Metz

Philadelphia Police Department — Philadelphia, PA

Cardiac Veteran

End of Watch September 10, 1887

Age 53

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 9 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 377

Incident

Police Officer James Metz suffered a fatal heart attack inside the Second Police District shortly after making an arrest.

He had just placed the prisoner inside a jail cell when he was stricken inside the hearing room of the station house.

Officer Metz was a Union Army veteran of the Civil war and had served with the Philadelphia Police Department for 10 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-AE1F384C
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 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 Metz gave the Philadelphia Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Philadelphia community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Philadelphia Police Department

Location Philadelphia, PA

Platform Identity ppd.philadelphia.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 10, 1887

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 53

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Military Service

James L. Metz served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Police Officer James L. Metz is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In PA, 118 of 1,261 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.4% of this state's fallen. That is 5.4 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Philadelphia Police Department, 37 of 378 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.8% of this agency's fallen.

Philadelphia Police Department

of 378 officers

9.8% Cardiac

PA — Statewide

118

of 1,261 officers

9.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac