Thomas Albert Keays

San Diego Police Dept. — San Diego, CA

Cardiac

End of Watch November 20, 1937

Age 52

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

The Vigil Panel 73 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 37

Incident

Patrolman Thomas Keays died of exhaustion shortly after pulling a mangled body from underneath a streetcar at Second Avenue and Broadway. He returned to the Central Station where he collapsed in the squad room. Patrolman Keays had served with the San Diego Police Department for 16 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and six children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-4E6F1D99
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.
Patrolman Keays gave the San Diego Police Department 16 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Diego community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Keays.

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

Agency

Department San Diego Police Dept.

Location San Diego, CA

Platform Identity sdpd.sandiego.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 20, 1937

Tour of Duty 16 yrs

Age 52

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Patrolman Thomas Albert Keays 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 CA, 52 of 1,837 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 2.8% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 4%.

At San Diego Police Dept., 1 of 38 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 2.6% of this agency's fallen.

San Diego Police Dept.

of 38 officers

2.6% Cardiac

CA — Statewide

of 1,837 officers

2.8% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac