Roll of Honor

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Chief of Police

Pleasant Clay Oakes

Raeford Police Department — Raeford, NC

Felonious

End of Watch August 31, 1912

Age 49

The Vigil Panel 27 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Chief Pleasant Clay Oakes was shot and killed by a man who held a grudge against him. The suspect was angry with the chief for arresting him a few days earlier for public drunkenness.

The suspect was convicted of second degree murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison. In December of 1914, he escaped from the Caledonia Prison Farm in Halifax County. He went to Sylacauga, Alabama, where under an assumed name he became very prosperous in a lumber business. In November of 1928, he was recaptured in Sylacauga after someone recognized him and reported it to the police. He was returned to North Carolina and ordered to serve the remainder of his sentence.

Thank you for honoring my great grandfather.

Ellen Cecil King Great granddaughter October 29th, 2021

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NC-C89130AF
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.
Chief of Police Oakes served with the Raeford Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Raeford community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Chief of Police Oakes.

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

Agency

Department Raeford Police Department

Location Raeford, NC

Platform Identity rpd.hoke.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 31, 1912

Age 49

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Cause Detail Gunfire

Weapon Shotgun

Offender Sentenced to 20 years

Chief of Police Pleasant Clay Oakes 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 NC, 385 of 664 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58% of this state's fallen. That is 3.8 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Raeford Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Raeford Police Department

of 2 officers

50% Felonious

NC — Statewide

385

of 664 officers

58% 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. Pleasant Clay Oakes'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 Pleasant Clay Oakes Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to 20 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Pleasant Clay Oakes 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. Pleasant Clay Oakes was killed by shotgun.

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 Raeford Police Department are honored on badge.nw.