Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective David Taylor succumbed to heat exhaustion while attempting to test surveillance equipment on a cell phone tower near the intersection of Penny Road and East Fork Road.
Detective Taylor, part of the agency's narcotics squad, was a technology expert working on a federal narcotics task force at the time. He and a federal agent had scaled the cell phone tower in 100-degree temperatures and were testing the equipment approximately 150 feet off the ground. He suddenly collapsed and fell approximately five feet before his harness caught him.
It took rescuers almost three hours to lower him to the ground but he had already passed away. The agent working with him also suffered heat exhaustion while attempting to rescue him, but was treated and released.
Detective Taylor had served with the Greensboro Police Department for 11 years.
Thank you for your dedicated service to your community and to Law Enforcement. RIP sir.
Retired First Sergeant Thomas Webb New York State Police - Troop "D" January 4th, 2024
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NC-340BCE69- 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 David. 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.
Detective Taylor gave the Greensboro Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Greensboro community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Taylor.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective David L. Taylor 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 NC, 205 of 664 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 30.9% of this state's fallen.
At Greensboro Police Department, 6 of 14 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 42.9% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David L. Taylor's cause is highlighted.
How David L. Taylor Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. David L. Taylor is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
13 officers from Greensboro Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
