James Brent Montgomery
Agency patch
Master Trooper

James Brent Montgomery

Illness
End of Watch March 15, 2021
Age 50
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
The Vigil Panel 175 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Master Trooper James Montgomery died from complications as the result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty.

Master Trooper Montgomery had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for 15 years and was assigned to Troop C District IV.

COVID-19 and Law Enforcement

Master Trooper James Brent Montgomery died on March 15, 2021 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 50.

He is one of 884 officers honored here, and one of 2 at North Carolina Highway Patrol.

Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.

Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, two sons, parents, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
NW-3GFQ-HG5V-E earlier record number BO-US-NC-051BD36F
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

The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Master Trooper Montgomery gave the North Carolina Highway Patrol 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Master Trooper Montgomery.

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

Agency

Type Highway Patrol
Location Raleigh, NC
Platform Identity nchp.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 15, 2021
Tour of Duty 15 yrs
Age 50
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Illness
Cause Detail COVID19

The Sacrifice · Illness

James is one of 2,026 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,543 remembered there.

33,910 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 2021, 564 officers in the United States were lost to illness, more than in any other year.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 50. Of the 1,994 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 15 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.

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

When

March holds 5.8% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 15%. Mondays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,543 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

North Carolina Highway Patrol has 69 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Master Trooper James Brent Montgomery

North Carolina Highway Patrol · End of Watch March 15, 2021

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 46-W

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