James W. Linder
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

James W. Linder

Cardiac Veteran
End of Watch March 7, 1982
Age 46
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
The Vigil Panel 125 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Jim Linder suffered a fatal heart attack at the scene of a fatal accident at the Ray Mines Division open pit mine near Kearney, Arizona.

A mine truck had fallen down a 200-foot embankment in the mine and the driver was partially trapped. Deputy Linder responded to the scene went down the steep embankment to check on the driver, and then climbed back up to the roadway to use his radio. Shortly after returning to his patrol car he began to experience symptoms of a heart attack and requested rescue. He passed away in the ambulance as he was transported to Tucson Medical Center.

Deputy Linder was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served with the Pinal County Sheriff's Office for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-99E8F37F
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.
Deputy Sheriff Linder gave the Pinal County Sheriff's Office 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Florence 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

Location Florence, AZ
Platform Identity pcso.pinal.az.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 7, 1982
Tour of Duty 8 yrs
Age 46
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Military Service

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

Deputy Sheriff James W. Linder is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In AZ, 11 of 330 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.3% of this state's fallen. That is 0.7 percentage points below the national rate of 4%.

At Pinal County Sheriff's Office, 1 of 14 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 7.1% of this agency's fallen.

Pinal County Sheriff's Office
1
of 14 officers
7.1% Cardiac
AZ — Statewide
11
of 330 officers
3.3% Cardiac
Nationwide
1,306
of 32,508 officers
4% Cardiac

National Cause Distribution

How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James W. Linder'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 W. Linder Compares

Age at End of Watch
46
This officer
Avg for Cardiac: 48.6 years
Years of Service
8
This officer
Avg for Cardiac: 15.6 years

When Cardiac Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. James W. Linder is highlighted in Mar.

Jan
124
Feb
105
Mar
99
Apr
116
May
115
Jun
95
Jul
94
Aug
104
Sep
109
Oct
121
Nov
113
Dec
111

Incident Location