Roll of Honor

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Officer

James H. Helms

Osawatomie Police Department — Osawatomie, KS

Felonious

End of Watch January 20, 1895

Age 50

The Vigil Panel 13 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Officer James Helms was shot and killed while investigating the sounds of an explosion in the downtown area at 0310 hours. He went to check the area and located at least one suspect behind several buildings near Main Street. The suspect shot Officer Helms several times. Four of Officer Helms' friends who were helping him investigate the sound of the explosion found him on the ground holding his revolver. In 1899 a convict in Minnesota confessed to killing Officer Helms, Officers Grant and McNett of Illinois, a woman in Geneva, Illinois and shooting a policeman in Guide Rock, Nebraska. Officer Helms was survived by his wife. He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Osawatomie, Kansas.

Survivors

Officer Helms was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KS-20BE338D
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

131 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Officer Helms served with the Osawatomie Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Osawatomie community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Osawatomie Police Department

Location Osawatomie, KS

Platform Identity opd.miami.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 20, 1895

Age 50

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Not available

Officer James H. Helms 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 KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 16.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Osawatomie Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Osawatomie Police Department

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

KS — Statewide

237

of 335 officers

70.7% 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 H. Helms'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 H. Helms Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Not available

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James H. Helms is highlighted in Jan.

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 H. Helms 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

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Osawatomie Police Department are honored on badge.nw.