James Edward Phelps

Paducah Police Department — Paducah, KY

Cardiac

End of Watch November 9, 1894

Age 35

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

The Vigil Panel 13 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 4

Incident

Patrolman James Phelps suffered a fatal heart shortly after assisting at the scene of a fire at Bishop's Grocery.

He had rushed into the burning building to help search it for anyone trapped inside. After searching the second floor, he returned outside, where he vomited from the effects of the smoke. Approximately 90 minutes later, he collapsed while walking on S 4th Street near the city hall. Two other officers heard him fall and carried him to the city hall where he died.

Patrolman Phelps had served with the Paducah Police Department for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KY-002F28CC
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

132 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Patrolman Phelps gave the Paducah Police Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Paducah community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Paducah Police Department

Location Paducah, KY

Platform Identity ppd.mccracken.ky.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 9, 1894

Tour of Duty 4 yrs

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Patrolman James Edward Phelps 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 KY, 44 of 983 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 4.5% of this state's fallen. That is 0.5 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Paducah Police Department, 2 of 5 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.

Paducah Police Department

of 5 officers

40% Cardiac

KY — Statewide

of 983 officers

4.5% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac