Charles Owen Purdin

Muskogee Police Department — Muskogee, OK

Accident

End of Watch September 17, 1957

Age 53

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

The Vigil Panel 93 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 7

Incident

Captain Purdin died of injuries he received when he was involved in a motorcycle accident. Captain Purdin was escorting a funeral procession when his department motorcycle was stuck from behind by an automobile. Captain Purdin suffered a broken leg and a fractured thigh. Captain Purdin's leg did not heal and it had to be amputated. While he was recovering at a hospital a blood clot moved from his inured leg to his heart, killing him.

Captain Purdin had served with the Muskogee Police Department for 20 years and was survived by his wife and four children.

Survivors

Captain Purdin had served with the Muskogee Police Department for 20 years and was survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OK-E5E9F197
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

20 years. You could have gone home.
Captain Purdin gave the Muskogee Police Department 20 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Muskogee community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Captain Purdin.

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

Agency

Department Muskogee Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Muskogee, Muskogee County, OK

Platform Identity mpd.muskogee.ok.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 17, 1957

Tour of Duty 20 yrs

Age 53

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Cause Detail Motorcycle crash

Captain Charles Owen Purdin is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.

In OK, 135 of 582 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 23.2% of this state's fallen. That is 23.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Muskogee Police Department, 2 of 8 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 25% of this agency's fallen.

Muskogee Police Department

of 8 officers

25% Accident

OK — Statewide

135

of 582 officers

23.2% Accident

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Accident