End of Watch September 17, 1988
Age 34
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Badge 809
The Vigil Panel 133 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Police Officer Dean James was shot and killed when he attempted to arrest a suspect who had escaped from the Hopi Tribal Jail the previous day. Officer James was en route to work when he observed the escapee hitchhiking along the highway. When Officer James exited his vehicle the man opened fire with a .22 caliber rifle. Despite being mortally wounded, Officer James was able to return fire and shot the man several times, wounding him. The man was arrested at the scene. He was convicted of Officer James' murder and sentenced to 25 years in prison. Officer James was assigned to the Hopi Tribal Police in Arizona and had served with the agency for four years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, three sons, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
NW-H799-8ZR7-G earlier record number BO-US-FED-1687FD20
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 James gave the United States Department of the Interior 4 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer James.

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

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdibiaojsfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 17, 1988
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 34
Badge Number 809
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Rifle

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Dean is one of 15,741 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.2% of the 27,543 remembered there.

33,910 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1988, 97 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 55th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Dean was 34. Of the 14,215 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Dean had served 4 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

September holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.2% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was rifle, in 5.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services has 52 officers remembered here, Dean among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer Dean Martin James

United States Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs - Office of Justice Services · End of Watch September 17, 1988

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 20-W

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