Roll of Honor
Incident
Reserve Officer Stuart Taira was killed in a police helicopter crash. Reserve Officer Taira, who served as a photographer for the Air Support Unit, and two other officers were conducting aerial patrols following a tornado. In between patrols, the officers were dispatched to investigate a report of a burglar on a roof. As the helicopter took off it struck an unseen power line, causing it to crash. Everyone aboard the aircraft survived the initial impact with the ground. Reserve Officer Taira was able to exit the aircraft but returned to it in an attempt to rescue the other two officers. One of the helicopter's rotors struck Reserve Officer Taira in the head, killing him. Officer Taira had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for three years. He was survived by his parents, two sisters, and two brothers. He was posthumously awarded the department's Medal of Valor.
Survivors
He was survived by his parents, two sisters, and two brothers.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-7B9486C1- 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.
Reserve Officer Taira gave the Los Angeles Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Reserve Officer Taira.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Reserve Officer Stuart Shigeru Taira 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 CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Los Angeles Police Department, 97 of 240 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Stuart Shigeru Taira's cause is highlighted.
How Stuart Shigeru Taira Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Stuart Shigeru Taira is highlighted in Mar.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
239 officers from Los Angeles Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
