Jack Chelton Harris
Agency patch
Special Police Officer

Jack Chelton Harris

Felonious
End of Watch July 15, 1919
Age 43
The Vigil Panel 37 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Location: California Weapon: Gun; Unknown type Offender: Never apprehended

Special Officer Jack Harris was shot and killed at the Calwa rail yards in Fresno County, California.

Special Officer Harris had been notified of two hobos being in a Wabash Railway coal car by a rail worker at approximately 1:00 am and went to investigate. While in the coal car the suspects fired five shots, striking Special Officer Harris in the head. The suspects fled the scene and were never apprehended.

Special Officer Harris was survived by his wife and four children. His father had served with the Southern Pacific Railroad as chief of detectives and was killed in the line of duty on May 16, 1894.

Survivors

Special Officer Harris was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-RR-5EE16A57
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
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.
Special Police Officer Harris served with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Topeka community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Police Officer Harris.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Topeka, KS
Platform Identity atsfrpd.rr.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 15, 1919
Age 43
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Special Police Officer Jack Chelton Harris is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In KS, 237 of 335 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 70.7% of this state's fallen. That is 70.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department, 24 of 32 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad Police Department
24
of 32 officers
75% Felonious
KS — Statewide
237
of 335 officers
70.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jack Chelton Harris's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Jack Chelton Harris Compares

Age at Death
43
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jack Chelton Harris is highlighted in Jul.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jack Chelton Harris was killed by gun; unknown type.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location