Norris B. Epps
Agency patch
Officer

Norris B. Epps

Tampa Police Department — Tampa, FL
Accident
End of Watch January 18, 1995
Age 30
Badge 411
The Vigil Panel 141 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Norris Epps was killed when the McDonnell Douglas 500E police helicopter he was in crashed into Tampa Bay, near the Howard Frankland Bridge, as he and the pilot searched for a man whose boat had capsized. Officer Epps' body was recovered from the bay eight days later. His partner survived the crash with injuries to his lower extremities.

Survivors

Officer Epps is survived by his wife who served as a dispatcher for the Tampa Police Department.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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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 Epps served with the Tampa Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Tampa community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Epps.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL
Platform Identity tpd.hillsborough.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 18, 1995
Age 30
Badge Number 411
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Norris is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 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 1995, 73 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 38th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Norris was 30. 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.

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

When

January holds 7.7% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. 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

Tampa Police Department has 29 officers remembered here, Norris among them.

VI

Where

Officer Norris B. Epps

Tampa Police Department · End of Watch January 18, 1995

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 6-W

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