James Washington Kirwin

Crisfield Police Department — Crisfield, MD

Felonious

End of Watch April 18, 1930

Age 66

The Vigil Panel 59 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Chief of Police James Kirwin succumbed to wounds sustained six years earlier when he was struck in the head with a hatchet while attempting to make an arrest of a drunk man.

Chief Kirwin and other officers had gone to a barn in the downtown district after being notified that a man inside had assaulted another man with the hatchet.

When Chief Kirwin arrived at the barn he was struck in the head. The subject then struck the other officer in the arm. The officer shot the man once but did not immediately stop him. When the man lunged at the officer again, he emptied his revolver at the man, killing him.

Chief Kirwin was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

Survivors

Chief Kirwin was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MD-9337001A
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.
Chief of Police Kirwin served with the Crisfield Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Crisfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Kirwin.

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

Agency

Department Crisfield Police Department

Location Crisfield, MD

Platform Identity cpd.somerset.md.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 18, 1930

Age 66

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Assault

Weapon Edged weapon; Hatchet

Offender Shot and killed

Chief of Police James Washington Kirwin is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MD, 195 of 377 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.5 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Crisfield Police Department, 3 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 75% of this agency's fallen.

Crisfield Police Department

of 4 officers

75% Felonious

MD — Statewide

195

of 377 officers

51.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious