James Martin Leach
Agency patch
Sergeant

James Martin Leach

Kansas City Police Department — Kansas City, MO
Felonious
End of Watch May 2, 1992
Age 38
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Badge 310
Gender Male

Incident

Sergeant James Leach was killed when he was struck by a drunk driver as he was blocking a street filled with pedestrian traffic at Westport Road and Mill Street in Kansas City. The driver intentionally sped up and smashed into the barricade, hitting Sergeant Leach and a 21-year-old man. The impact sent their bodies more than 85-90 feet away. The driver did not apply his brakes and continued driving through the closed street at 45-50 miles per hour, maneuvering around people walking. The driver, who fled the scene, was involved in a second accident during a pursuit and then attempted to flee on foot but was arrested. The 27-year-old suspect was convicted of Sergeant Leach's murder, two counts of second-degree murder, and two counts of armed criminal action. He was subsequently sentenced to serve two life terms. He was denied parole in 2004. Sergeant Leach had served with the Kansas City Police Department for 14 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

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

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Sergeant Leach gave the Kansas City Police Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Kansas City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Sergeant Leach.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Kansas City, Cass County, MO
Platform Identity kcpd.jackson.mo.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 2, 1992
Tour of Duty 14 yrs
Age 38
Badge Number 310
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Automobile

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,742 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% 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 1992, 93 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 59th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 38. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. James had served 14 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

May holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was automobile, in 4.9% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

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

Across the years
VI

Where

Sergeant James Martin Leach

Kansas City Police Department · End of Watch May 2, 1992

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 64-E

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