Charles W. Wells

Newburyport Police Department — Newburyport, MA

Cardiac

End of Watch January 15, 1920

Age 64

Tour of Duty 38 yrs

The Vigil Panel 38 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Captain Wells suffered a fatal heart attack while assisting at the scene of a fire. He collapsed after helping firemen perform their duties. He was taken to a nearby home where he died shortly after a physician tended to him.

Captain Wells had served with the agency for 38 years.

Captain Wells, it has been 104 years since you were taken from us. New England law enforcement has continued to thrive, learn and become safer due to the traditions and sacrifices you, your family, and many others have made for us. Thank you for your 38 years of law enforcement service.

Chief (Ret) Steven Marshall Georges Mills, NH January 16th, 2024

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-D2C393B3
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

38 years. You could have gone home.
Captain Wells gave the Newburyport Police Department 38 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Newburyport community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Wells.

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

Agency

Department Newburyport Police Department

Location Newburyport, MA

Platform Identity newbpd.essex.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 15, 1920

Tour of Duty 38 yrs

Age 64

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Cardiac

Captain Charles W. Wells is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MA, 44 of 469 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 9.4% of this state's fallen. That is 5.4 percentage points above the national rate of 4%.

At Newburyport Police Department, 1 of 4 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Newburyport Police Department

of 4 officers

25% Cardiac

MA — Statewide

of 469 officers

9.4% Cardiac

Nationwide

1,306

of 32,508 officers

4% Cardiac