James W. Parr Sr.
Agency patch
Captain

James W. Parr Sr.

Florida Department of Corrections — Tallahassee, FL
Accident
End of Watch August 11, 1966
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident

Captain James Parr drowned while chasing a prisoner across Pompano Canal west of the Florida Turnpike. The inmate had escaped from the Pompano Road Prison the previous night. Captain Parr was leading a search party and spotted the prisoner in tall grass near the canal. As he started chasing the man he entered the water and drowned after becoming tangled in the tall grass. Captain Parr was assigned to the Pompano Road Prison.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, two daughters, and two sons.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Captain Parr served with the Florida Department of Corrections.
Thank you for your service to the people of Florida. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Parr.

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

Agency

Type Corrections
Location Tallahassee, Leon County, FL
Platform Identity fdcorr.leon.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 11, 1966
Age 35
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.

34,117 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 1966, 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 35. 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

August holds 9.5% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. Thursdays: 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

Florida Department of Corrections has 33 officers remembered here, James among them.

VI

Where

Captain James W. Parr Sr.

Florida Department of Corrections · End of Watch August 11, 1966

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 18-W

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