Roll of Honor
James Richard Taylor
Incident
Police Officer James Taylor succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day when he was struck by a train while pursuing a prisoner who had just escaped his custody shortly before 7:00 p.m.
He had arrested the man for alcohol violations, but at 10th and Jefferson Streets, the man tripped Officer Taylor and fled on foot. Police Officer Taylor pursued him down Jefferson Street and was struck by a train as he chased the man across the railroad tracks.
The man continued to flee but was arrested again later in the day by other officers. He was charged with selling liquor to minors and selling liquor without a license.
Officer Taylor was a United States Navy veteran. He served with the Philadelphia Police Department for nine years, assigned to the 12th District.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-PA-CB0E9645- 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 Taylor gave the Philadelphia Police Department 9 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James Richard Taylor served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer James Richard Taylor 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 PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Philadelphia Police Department, 110 of 378 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Richard Taylor's cause is highlighted.
How James Richard Taylor Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James Richard Taylor is highlighted in Jun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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