Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Chumley was shot and killed while arresting a suspect for robbery at the corner of 4th Street and Olie Street. Detective Chumley and his partner confronted the suspect just minutes after a robbery. The detectives searched the suspect and after finding no weapon, the detectives holstered their weapons. The suspect then pulled a gun from inside his coveralls and shot both detectives, killing Detective Chumley. The suspect escaped the scene, but was later captured and sentenced to life imprisonment. On July 30, 1931, Governor W. H. Murray granted the suspect a one year parole because the suspect was the first to be convicted on an admission of guilt after being given a newly developed truth serum. Governor Murray considered the serum to be no more than circumstantial evidence that needed to be studied more. Four months later the suspect was arrested in Fort Worth, Texas, for burglary. After serving a prison term in Texas he was returned to the Oklahoma Penitentiary and paroled in 1943. On June 2, 1949, he was arrested for armed robbery in Lynwood, California. He was also connected to two more robberies in California and two more in Arizona. He was sentenced in California for life as an "habitual offender". In 1952 he was seriously injured when he fell from a rope while attempting to escape from Folsom Prison.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-OK-1C94010E- Stewardship
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- 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.
Detective Chumley served with the Oklahoma City Police Department.
Thank you for your service to the Oklahoma City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Chumley.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Briggs Chumley 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 OK, 403 of 582 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 69.2% of this state's fallen. That is 15 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Oklahoma City Police Dept., 20 of 33 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Briggs Chumley's cause is highlighted.
How Briggs Chumley Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life in prison
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Briggs Chumley is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Briggs Chumley was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
32 officers from Oklahoma City Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
