Tacoma Police Department remembers one of ‘worst incidents’ in state law enforcement history

TACOMA, Wash. — The Tacoma Police Department is remembering a fallen officer in what was “the single worst incident in Washington State law enforcement history at the time,” the department wrote.

On November 25, 1941, Tacoma Police Officer Martin Joyce died from his injuries after a head-on collision.

He and his partner were sent to a suicide call and he asked the dispatcher to change the lights of a four-way traffic signal so he could pass through.

At the same time, two Pierce County Deputy Sheriffs were sent to a River Road accident and also asked for the lights to change. But since the sheriffs’ car had been parked, his radio tubes weren’t warmed up and the deputies didn’t hear the Tacoma broadcast, said TPD.

Both cars collided at South 11th Street and Pacific Avenue.

The cars collided “with such force that the sheriffs’ car snapped a light pole before flipping on its side,” said TPD.

The two sheriffs and Officer Joyce’s partner died at the scene. Officer Joyce died two days later, on November 25, 1941.

“Gone but not forgotten,” wrote TPD.

©2023 Cox Media Group