James R. Cummings
Agency patch
Police Officer

James R. Cummings

Austin Police Department — Austin, TX
Accident
End of Watch December 3, 1933
Age 31
The Vigil Panel 67 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer James Cummings was responding to a shots-fired call when his motorcycle struck another vehicle at 14th Street and Red River Road.

Despite efforts by his partner and the occupants of the car to carry Officer Cummings to nearby Brackenridge Hospital, he died almost instantly.

Officer Cummings was the second motorcycle officer to be killed in less than two months.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Cummings served with the Austin Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Austin community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Cummings.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Austin, Hays County, TX
Platform Identity apd.travis.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 3, 1933
Age 31
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

James is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1933, 77 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 31st heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 31. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

December holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Sundays: 14%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Austin Police Department has 28 officers remembered here, James among them.

VI

Where

Police Officer James R. Cummings

Austin Police Department · End of Watch December 3, 1933

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 40-W

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