James David Wright
Agency patch
Officer

James David Wright

Portland Police Bureau — Portland, OR
Illness
End of Watch January 21, 1923
Age 36
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Officer James Wright died after contracting pneumonia while guarding the body of another man who had died at a Washington Street lodging house.

He was forced to wait in the cold for an extended period of time as he waited for the coroner to arrive. He died three days later.

Officer Wright had served with the Portland Police Bureau for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and 4-year-old son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
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Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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.
Officer Wright gave the Portland Police Bureau 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Portland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Wright.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Portland, Clackamas County, OR
Platform Identity ppb.multnomah.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 21, 1923
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 36
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail Duty related illness

The Sacrifice · Illness

James is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,102 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 1923, 2 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 46th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 36. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. James had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

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

When

January holds 9.5% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Sundays: 14.2%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Portland Police Bureau has 31 officers remembered here, James among them.

VI

Where

Officer James David Wright

Portland Police Bureau · End of Watch January 21, 1923

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 40-E

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