Roll of Honor

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Chief of Police

Herman DeWayne Justus

West Taylor Township Police Department — Johnstown, PA

Accident Veteran →

End of Watch May 5, 1990

Age 38

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 135 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Chief of Police Herman Justus was killed in an automobile accident while involved in a pursuit. He was pursuing a vehicle when his patrol car skidded a patch of wet pavement as he rounded a curve on Cooper Avenue, and struck a brick wall.

He was a U.S Navy veteran of the Vietnam war and served with the West Taylor Township Police Department for seven years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-PA-9F079558
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.
Chief of Police Justus gave the West Taylor Township Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Johnstown community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department West Taylor Township Police Department

Location Johnstown, PA

Platform Identity wttpd.cambria.pa.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 5, 1990

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 38

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Weapon Automobile

Offender Not available

Military Service

Herman DeWayne Justus served in the Navy (1974â1977) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Chief of Police Herman DeWayne Justus 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 PA, 417 of 1,261 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

West Taylor Township Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Accident

PA — Statewide

417

of 1,261 officers

33.1% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Herman DeWayne Justus'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 Herman DeWayne Justus Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Accident: 38.1 years

Years of Service