Roll of Honor

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City Marshal

Robert H. Clift

Chetopa Police Department — Chetopa, KS

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 25, 1878

Age 35

The Vigil Panel 6 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

City Marshal Clift, who also served as a United States Marshal, was shot and killed while escorting a prisoner back to Chetopa. As the suspect attempted to flee to Missouri he was stopped by Marshal Clift. The man said he would return to Chetopa but instead pulled a revolver and shot Marshal Clift. The suspect was captured and as he was being brought back for trial a mob of angry citizens took him off of a train and lynched him from a bridge. City Marshal Clift was survived by his wife and four children. He was a Union Civil War Veteran.

Survivors

City Marshal Clift was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-KS-4DC5E2F4
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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
City Marshal Clift served with the Chetopa Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Chetopa community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Chetopa Police Department

Location Chetopa, KS

Platform Identity cpd.labette.ks.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 25, 1878

Age 35

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; Revolver

Offender Lynched by mob

Military Service

Robert H. Clift served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

City Marshal Robert H. Clift 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 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 16.5 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Chetopa Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Chetopa Police Department

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

KS — Statewide

237

of 335 officers

70.7% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Robert H. Clift's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Robert H. Clift Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Lynched by mob

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Robert H. Clift is highlighted in Aug.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Robert H. Clift was killed by handgun; revolver.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Chetopa Police Department are honored on badge.nw.