Roll of Honor

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Chief of Police

James Cornelius Pace

Littleville Police Department — Russellville, AL

Felonious

End of Watch August 18, 1963

Age 50

The Vigil Panel 98 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Chief Pace and Sheriff Herman Cook, of the Colbert County Sheriff's Department, were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a bootlegger. Two other deputies were also wounded when the man ambushed the officers. The suspect was apprehended but died of cancer in jail while awaiting trial.

Survivors

Chief Pace was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-AL-C6C19516
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.
Chief of Police Pace served with the Littleville Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Russellville community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Pace.

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

Agency

Department Littleville Police Department

Location Russellville, AL

Platform Identity lpd.franklin.al.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 18, 1963

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Deceased

Chief of Police James Cornelius Pace 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%.

Littleville Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

AL — Statewide

405

of 643 officers

63% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James Cornelius Pace's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How James Cornelius Pace Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Deceased

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Cornelius Pace is highlighted in Aug.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. James Cornelius Pace was killed by gun; unknown type.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518