James L. McDermott
Deputy Sheriff

James L. McDermott

Accident
End of Watch August 26, 1931
Age 40
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
The Vigil Panel 62 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff James McDermott was killed in a vehicle crash when his patrol car began to roll away.

He was filling the patrol car with gas at the county filling station, which was located on a slope at 1705 North Broadway. He jumped on the running board as the vehicle began to roll down the hill and was killed in the ensuing collision with a steel hose hook.

Deputy McDermott had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department for six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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.
Deputy Sheriff McDermott gave the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff McDermott.

— 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 August 26, 1931
Tour of Duty 6 yrs
Age 40
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 1931, 100 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 6th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 40. 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. James had served 6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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. Wednesdays: 14.5%.

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

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Deputy Sheriff James L. McDermott

Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department · End of Watch August 26, 1931

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 39-W

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