Emma Benson
Deputy Sheriff

Emma Benson

Accident
End of Watch March 20, 1919
Age 42
The Vigil Panel 36 ›
Gender Female

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Emma Benson and Deputy Sheriff Harry Guard were killed when their department vehicle was struck by a Pacific Electric trolley on Telegraph Road at the Rio Hondo crossing.

The two deputies, along with a third deputy, were returning to the jail after delivering a mental patient to a hospital in Norwalk when their Model T collided with the trolley.

Deputy Benson had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for one year and was assigned to the Female Ward.

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Benson served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Benson.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Monterey Park, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lacso.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 20, 1919
Age 42
Gender Female

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Emma 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 1919, 51 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 94th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Emma was 42. 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 she stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

March holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. 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

Her people

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Emma among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Deputy Sheriff Emma Benson

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department · End of Watch March 20, 1919

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 19-E

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