James B. Roche

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA

Cardiac

End of Watch March 21, 1936

Age 46

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

The Vigil Panel 71 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Patrolman James Roche suffered a fatal heart attack while separating two cars in an accident.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-CF2CB0C5
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 Roche gave the Boston Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Roche.

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

Agency

Department Boston Police Department

Location Roxbury Crossing, MA

Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 21, 1936

Tour of Duty 13 yrs

Age 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Patrolman James B. Roche 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 MA, 44 of 469 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 Boston Police Department, 8 of 106 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 7.5% of this agency's fallen.

Boston Police Department

of 106 officers

7.5% Cardiac

MA — Statewide

of 469 officers

9.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac