James Louis Guelff

San Francisco Police Department — San Francisco, CA

Felonious

End of Watch November 14, 1994

Age 40

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Badge 1461

The Vigil Panel 140 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 105

Incident

Officer James Guelff succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained the previous day when he was shot by a carjacking suspect near the intersection of Pine Street and Franklin Street at approximately 6:00 pm. The suspect had carjacked a vehicle in Mountain View and had driven to San Francisco, where he pushed the car's owner out of the vehicle. The suspect then drove to Pine Street, where he double-parked the vehicle. The man opened fire on Officer Guelff with a semi-automatic rifle as the officer approached the vehicle. Officer Guelff emptied his service weapon at the suspect and was reloading when he was shot again. The suspect was wearing a ballistic helmet, a flak jacket, and carrying hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Members of the San Francisco Police Department's SWAT Team shot and killed the man, but not before another officer, a paramedic, and a civilian were wounded by gunfire. Officers found the man was also in possession of a police scanner, gunpowder, fuses, and three vials of painkillers. Officer Guelff had served with the San Francisco Police Department for 10 years.

Survivors

survivors include his two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-02CBCDA6
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew James. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Guelff gave the San Francisco Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Francisco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Guelff.

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

Agency

Department San Francisco Police Department

Location San Francisco, CA

Platform Identity sfpd.sf.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 14, 1994

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 40

Badge Number 1461

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle; Semi-automatic

Offender Shot and killed

Officer James Louis Guelff 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At San Francisco Police Department, 66 of 106 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 62.3% of this agency's fallen.

San Francisco Police Department

of 106 officers

62.3% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious