Roll of Honor
Charles Sherman Patterson
Incident
Location: Arizona Incident Date: Sunday, August 28, 1921
Special Officer Charles Patterson suffered a fatal gunshot wound in Ash Fork, Arizona, when his service weapon fell from its holster and discharged.
He was chasing a hobo when the accident occurred. He died from his wound the following day after being taken to a hospital in Prescott.
Officer Patterson had served in law enforcement for 11 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-BB522554- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Officer Patterson gave the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department 11 years.
Thank you for your service to the Topeka community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Officer Patterson.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Special Officer Charles Sherman Patterson is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In KS, 66 of 335 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 19.7% of this state's fallen. That is 11.3 percentage points below the national rate of 31%.
At Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department, 8 of 32 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles Sherman Patterson's cause is highlighted.
How Charles Sherman Patterson Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charles Sherman Patterson is highlighted in Aug.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
31 officers from Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
