James Gale Lee grew up in Dunn, NC. He joined the Raleigh Police Department as a Cadet at the age of 19.  

On Thursday, December 5, 1968, Officers Lee and Allen were called to help two detectives with a narcotics arrest. As the officers approached the intersection of Yadkin and Currituck Drives, Officer Lee attempted to veer to the right to miss an oncoming vehicle. Instead, his police car was struck and slammed into a utility pole.  Both officers were thrown from their vehicle.  Officer Lee died about an hour later, at Rex Hospital.  He was survived by his parents two sisters, and a brother.