James Oscar Summers

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch March 4, 1944

Age 49

Badge 2015

The Vigil Panel 80 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 239

Incident

Policeman James Summers succumbed to injuries sustained on February 18th, 1944, while struggling with a prisoner inside a paddy wagon on Main Street. Other officers had just arrested the man for acting drunk and disorderly. During the transport the man started fighting with another prisoner and Policeman Summers attempted to separate the two. The man kicked Policeman Summers in the abdomen, causing serious internal injuries. Policeman Summers was transported to Georgia Street Receiving Hospital where he died on March 4th, 1944. The subject, 22, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to one to 10 years in prison. In 1952 he served a short sentence in Texas for drunk driving. On August 1, 1971, he and his passenger were killed in a head-on collision on Highway 14 near Mexia, Texas. He was driving on the wrong side of the road. The driver of the other car was killed and his passenger was admitted to a hospital in serious condition. Policeman Summers was a U.S Army veteran of WWI.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-57920549
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.
Policeman Summers served with the Los Angeles Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles 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

Department Los Angeles Police Department

Location Los Angeles, CA

Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 4, 1944

Age 49

Badge Number 2015

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Person

Offender Sentenced to 10 years

Military Service

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

Policeman James Oscar Summers is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 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 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Los Angeles Police Department, 115 of 240 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 47.9% of this agency's fallen.

Los Angeles Police Department

115

of 240 officers

47.9% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious