Jerome Palmer

Portland Police Bureau — Portland, OR

Felonious

End of Watch November 17, 1920

Age 43

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

The Vigil Panel 39 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 30

Incident

Officer Jerome Palmer was shot and killed by an Army deserter from Fort Lewis who had committed several robberies with a second deserter. A large number of officers had been reassigned to the area to look for the suspects. Officer Palmer and a second officer located the subjects near the intersection of 6th Avenue and Glisan Street. One of the men fled when he was told he was under arrest. The man turned and opened fire, fatally wounding Officer Palmer. The other officer wounded the subject and then apprehended him. The man was hanged at the Oregon State Prison on March 9th, 1923. Officer Palmer had served with the Portland Police Bureau for eight years.

Survivors

He was survived by his mother and four brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OR-723D1BE0
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.
Officer Palmer gave the Portland Police Bureau 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Portland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Palmer.

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

Agency

Department Portland Police Bureau

Location Portland, OR

Platform Identity ppb.multnomah.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 17, 1920

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 1923

Officer Jerome Palmer 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 4.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Portland Police Bureau, 12 of 31 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 38.7% of this agency's fallen.

Portland Police Bureau

of 31 officers

38.7% Felonious

OR — Statewide

115

of 197 officers

58.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious