Earl John Bickel
Agency patch
Policeman

Earl John Bickel

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA
Accident
End of Watch August 30, 1937
Age 38
Tour of Duty 13 yrs 10 mo
Badge 808
The Vigil Panel 73 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Policeman Earl Bickel was killed when the patrol car he was a passenger in was struck by a freight train at the Osborn Street railroad crossing of the Southern Pacific Railroad. He and his partner were on patrol and driving along San Fernando Road during a period of heavy fog. The fog obscured their vision as they turned onto Osborn Street. They were unable to see the train until the last moment. Policeman Bickel's partner suffered several internal injuries as a result of the collision. Policeman Bickel had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for almost 14 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two young children.

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.
Policeman Bickel gave the Los Angeles Police Department 13 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Bickel.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 30, 1937
Tour of Duty 13 yrs 10 mo
Age 38
Badge Number 808
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Earl 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 1937, 95 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 10th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Earl was 38. 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. Earl had served 13.8 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. 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

Los Angeles Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Earl among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Policeman Earl John Bickel

Los Angeles Police Department · End of Watch August 30, 1937

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 9-E

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