James R. Mescall
Agency patch
Detective

James R. Mescall

Chicago Police Department — Chicago, IL
Accident
End of Watch December 3, 1928
Age 41
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Detective James Mescall succumbed to injuries sustained on April 1st, 1925, when he was thrown from a patrol car when it was struck by a Rolls Royce limousine at the intersection of 39th Street and Lake Park Avenue.

He struck his head on the pavement upon being ejected.

Detective Mescall had served with the Chicago Police Department for 20 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

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

20 years. You could have gone home.
Detective Mescall gave the Chicago Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Chicago community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Mescall.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Chicago, Cook County, IL
Platform Identity cpd.cook.il.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 3, 1928
Tour of Duty 20 yrs
Age 41
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident
Cause Detail Automobile crash

The Sacrifice · Accident

James is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% 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
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1928, 103 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 5th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 41. 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 20 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

December holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.4%.

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

Chicago Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Detective James R. Mescall

Chicago Police Department · End of Watch December 3, 1928

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 16-W

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