James W. Baber

Alexandria Police Department — Alexandria, VA

Cardiac

End of Watch October 19, 1962

Age 51

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

The Vigil Panel 97 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 16

Incident

Deputy Inspector James Baber suffered a fatal heart attack while struggling with a subject at the corner of Queen Street and N. Fayette Street. Deputy Inspector Baber and another officer had responded to the area of a shooting when he and Private Eugene A. Yoakum suddenly came upon three suspects. Private Yoakum, a Canine handler, detained two subjects and Deputy Inspector Baber seized one of them, a 17-year-old youth. The young man tried to break away and a struggle ensued with Deputy Chief Baber. Deputy Inspector Baber subdued the suspect and then sat on the ground and collapsed. He was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m. at Alexandria hospital. Two years later, Private Yoakum was shot and killed responding to an assault call. Deputy Inspector Baber had served with the Alexandria Police Department for 27 years. He was survived by his wife and two sons. At the time of his death, Deputy Inspector Baber’s younger brother also served with the Alexandria Police Department as a Detective-Sergeant. One of Deputy Inspector Baber’s sons joined the Fairfax County Police Department two years later after his father’s passing and served as a police officer with that agency for 20 years. On March 5, 2018, Deputy Inspector Baber's name was added to the Hall of Honor at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-VA-5C05BD05
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

27 years. You could have gone home.
Deputy Inspector Baber gave the Alexandria Police Department 27 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Alexandria community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Inspector Baber.

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

Agency

Department Alexandria Police Department

Location Alexandria, VA

Platform Identity apd.alexandria.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 19, 1962

Tour of Duty 27 yrs

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Weapon Person

Offender In custody

Deputy Inspector James W. Baber 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 VA, 25 of 654 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.8% of this state's fallen.

At Alexandria Police Department, 1 of 17 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 5.9% of this agency's fallen.

Alexandria Police Department

of 17 officers

5.9% Cardiac

VA — Statewide

of 654 officers

3.8% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac