Roll of Honor

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Police Officer

Robert James Taylor, Sr.

Chippewa Cree Tribal Police Department — Box Elder, SD

Accident

End of Watch May 27, 2002

Age 43

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 150 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Police Officer Robert Taylor drowned while attempting to rescue a man who had capsized in a small rowboat in the Bonneau Reservoir on the Rocky Boy Reservation during the Memorial Day holiday.

One other occupant of the boat was able to swim to shore. Officer Taylor attempted to swim to the boat in the cold water, which was about 75 feet from shore.

When he was approximately 15 feet from the boat, he went underwater and never resurfaced. The man he was attempting to rescue was able to make it to shore with the help of bystanders. Officer Taylor's body was recovered two days later.

Officer Taylor had served with the Rocky Boy's Tribal Police Department for six years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, and five sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CPC-TR-C8012958
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.
Police Officer Taylor gave the Chippewa Cree Tribal Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Box Elder community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Taylor.

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

Agency

Department Chippewa Cree Tribal Police Department

Location Box Elder, SD

Platform Identity cctpd.nn.tribal.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 27, 2002

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Police Officer Robert James Taylor, Sr. is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In SD, 19 of 62 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.6% of this state's fallen.

Chippewa Cree Tribal Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Accident

SD — Statewide

of 62 officers

30.6% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert James Taylor, Sr.'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 Robert James Taylor, Sr. Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

Years of Service