James C. Langford

Tuscaloosa Police Department — Tuscaloosa, AL

Felonious

End of Watch May 14, 1954

Age 40

The Vigil Panel 90 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Officer Langford was shot and killed while responding with another officer to a club at the corner of 20th Street and 30th Avenue where there was a report of a man brandishing a pistol. As soon as the officers entered the suspect opened fire with an automatic pistol killing Officer Langford. The suspect was apprehended several days later in Toledo, Ohio. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life. He was paroled in 1980 and returned to prison in 1988 for violating his parole. He died in prison on July 28, 2008.

Survivors

Officer Langford was survived by his wife and four-year-old son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-929925F4
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.
Officer Langford served with the Tuscaloosa Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Tuscaloosa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Langford.

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

Agency

Department Tuscaloosa Police Department

Location Tuscaloosa, AL

Platform Identity tpd.tuscaloosa.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 14, 1954

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Pistol

Offender Paroled in 1980

Officer James C. Langford 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 AL, 405 of 643 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63% of this state's fallen. That is 8.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Tuscaloosa Police Department, 9 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Tuscaloosa Police Department

of 12 officers

75% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious