James Walter Harbin, II

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department — Las Vegas, NV

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch March 18, 1979

Age 22

Tour of Duty 1 mo

The Vigil Panel 121 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 23

Incident

Correctional Officer Jim Harbin was shot and killed while on his way to work when he interrupted a robbery at a local convenience store at 3500 E Charleston Boulevard. As he entered the store the clerk tried to warn him that a robbery was in progress. When the suspect saw Officer Harbin in uniform he opened fire, thinking Officer Harbin was a police officer. The suspect was apprehended after holding officers at bay for several hours. Officer Harbin previously served in the U.S. Marine Corps. He had served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for only six weeks and was scheduled to start the police academy the following month.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NV-615FB01C
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Correctional Officer Harbin served with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Las Vegas community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

Location Las Vegas, NV

Platform Identity lvmpd.clark.nv.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 18, 1979

Tour of Duty 1 mo

Age 22

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Apprehended

Military Service

James Walter Harbin, II served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Correctional Officer James Walter Harbin, II 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 NV, 81 of 145 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 55.9% of this state's fallen. That is 1.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, 10 of 24 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 41.7% of this agency's fallen.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department

of 24 officers

41.7% Felonious

NV — Statewide

of 145 officers

55.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious