Charles Clinton Black

Maine State Police — Augusta, ME

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch July 9, 1964

Age 28

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 99 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 11

Incident

Trooper Charles Black was shot and killed while responding to a bank robbery at First National Bank of Biddeford in South Berwick, Maine just before 10 a.m. Trooper Black was off-duty that day, but was required to report to the municipal courthouse behind the bank to prosecute a traffic violation. He was in uniform when he responded to shouts from civilians on the street that the bank was being robbed. As the two suspects ran from the bank one of them spotted Trooper Black and shot him five times. A bystander grabbed Trooper Black's service revolver and apprehended one of the suspects who had slipped and fallen behind. The other suspect was captured later that day in New Hampshire. Both suspects were convicted of Trooper Black's murder and sentenced to life in prison. Both were convicted felons who had been released from prison - one of them only a week prior to the fatal bank robbery. Following their life sentence for Trooper Black's murder, both men were paroled in 1972. Trooper Black was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had served with the Maine State Police for six years. He was survived by his pregnant wife, who gave birth to a son, by his two other young sons, and by his sister and brother. The agency's annual Trooper of the Year award was named in his honor.

Survivors

He was survived by his pregnant wife, who gave birth to a son, by his two other young sons, and by his sister and brother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-ME-73B3DD05
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.
Trooper Black gave the Maine State Police 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Maine, 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 Maine State Police

Location Augusta, ME

Platform Identity msp.me.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch July 9, 1964

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 28

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .22 caliber

Offender Paroled in 1972

Military Service

Charles Clinton Black served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Trooper Charles Clinton Black 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 ME, 43 of 102 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.2% of this state's fallen. That is 12 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Maine State Police, 3 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Maine State Police

of 12 officers

25% Felonious

ME — Statewide

of 102 officers

42.2% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious