Roll of Honor
Charles J. Banning
Incident
Reserve Deputy Chuck Banning drowned attempting to recover a vehicle from the Friant-Kern Canal a half-mile from Cecil Street at 3:00 p.m. He had recovered a body from the submerged vehicle and returned to the car to attach a tow hook. After surfacing and calling those on the bank to retrieve the car, he suddenly went under again and failed to surface. Two detectives immediately dove into the canal but could not locate him. His body was pulled from the canal by a special deputy a short time later. On August 7, 1973, Deputy Banning recovered the body of his partner, Deputy Sheriff Terry Greer, in the same canal. Deputy Banning was a United States Navy Korean War veteran and had served with the Kern County Sheriff's Office for six years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, daughter, parents, three brothers, and three sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-9D8853E8- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Charles. Claim this record.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
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.
Reserve Deputy Sheriff Banning gave the Kern County Sheriff's Office 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Bakersfield 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Charles J. Banning served in the Other (1954â1962) before joining law enforcement.
Reserve Deputy Sheriff Charles J. Banning 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 CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Kern County Sheriff's Office, 18 of 28 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 64.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles J. Banning's cause is highlighted.
How Charles J. Banning Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Charles J. Banning is highlighted in Oct.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from Kern County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
