James Emery Rodine
Agency patch
Patrolman

James Emery Rodine

Des Moines Police Department — Des Moines, IA
Accident
End of Watch August 13, 1968
Age 27
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Badge 196
The Vigil Panel 104 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman James Rodine was accidentally shot and killed when his gun fell and discharged. He was working as a dispatcher at the time and had brought the new gun in to show his fellow officers. He accidentally dropped the weapon and it discharged when it struck the desk. The round struck him in the chest, fatally wounding him. Patrolman Rodine had served with the Des Moines Police Department for four years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-IA-DF3BB74E
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Patrolman Rodine gave the Des Moines Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Des Moines community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Rodine.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Des Moines, Polk County, IA
Platform Identity dmpd.polk.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 13, 1968
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 27
Badge Number 196
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Patrolman James Emery Rodine is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In IA, 71 of 226 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.4% of this state's fallen. That is 31.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Des Moines Police Department, 7 of 27 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25.9% of this agency's fallen.

Des Moines Police Department
7
of 27 officers
25.9% Accident
IA — Statewide
71
of 226 officers
31.4% Accident
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Accident

National Cause Distribution

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

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

How James Emery Rodine Compares

Age at Death
27
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James Emery Rodine is highlighted in Aug.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
708
May
848
Jun
797
Jul
899
Aug
938
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897