James J. Fenton

Oakland Police Department — Oakland, CA

Felonious

End of Watch January 4, 1908

Age 33

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Badge 46

The Vigil Panel 22 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 53

Incident

Police Officer James Fenton was shot and killed while attempting to question two men he suspected of burglary at the intersection of 7th Street and Pine Street. Both men had blown a post office safe near St. Jose two weeks earlier. When he told the men he was going to arrest them one fled and the second began to struggle with Officer Fenton. The suspect then pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Fenton. As the suspect attempted to flee a nearby barber in his shop ran out and grabbed the suspect, gained control of his weapon, and then shot and killed him. On March 1st, 1910, the second suspect was apprehended in Modesto. He was convicted of burglary and sentenced to 11 years. On October 27th, 1918, he committed suicide in his cell. A few months after the incident the barber who killed the suspect became an Oakland police officer. Officer Fenton had served with the Oakland Police Department for two years. He was survived by his wife and two children. Officer Fenton wore the same badge as Officer George Brown, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on December 17th, 1904.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-F3427C55
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.
Police Officer Fenton gave the Oakland Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oakland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Fenton.

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

Agency

Department Oakland Police Department

Location Oakland, CA

Platform Identity opd.alameda.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 4, 1908

Tour of Duty 2 yrs

Age 33

Badge Number 46

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Offender Shot and killed

Police Officer James J. Fenton 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Oakland Police Department, 37 of 54 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 68.5% of this agency's fallen.

Oakland Police Department

of 54 officers

68.5% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious