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James Charles Boswell
Agency patch
Police Officer

James Charles Boswell

Houston Police Department — Houston, TX
Felonious
United States flag Texas flag
End of Watch December 9, 1989
Age 29
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Badge 2400
The Vigil Panel 135 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 116

Incident

Officer James Boswell was shot and killed by a man who claimed to be a DEA informant near the intersection of South Main Street and Westridge Street. Officer Boswell and his partner were on a traffic stop when the man, unrelated to the traffic stop, came up and began to knock on the officer's window. Officer Boswell rolled down the window and told the man to wait on the sidewalk. The man then began knocking on the window again and was again told to wait. The man then began banging on the roof and window a third time. Fearing the man would break the glass Officer Boswell exited the cruiser and told the man to wait down the street or he would be put in the cruiser. As he looked away to unlock the cruiser, the man pulled out a .38 caliber handgun and shot him in the head. The suspect began to run but was shot in the side by Officer Boswell's partner. The suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The man was executed on November 19, 2002. Officer Boswell had been with the Houston Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents, sister, and three brothers.

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.
Police Officer Boswell gave the Houston Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Houston community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Boswell.

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

Agency

Department Houston Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Houston, Harris County, TX
Platform Identity hpd.harris.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 9, 1989
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 29
Badge Number 2400
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

James is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1989, 97 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 55th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 29. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. James had served 5 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 9.4% of these deaths in the United States, more than any other month. 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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Houston Police Department has 117 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer James Charles Boswell

Houston Police Department · End of Watch December 9, 1989

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 26-W

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