Roll of Honor

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Reserve Officer

James Calvin Clifton

Burns Police Department — Burns, OR

Felonious

End of Watch February 1, 1981

Age 26

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 124 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 1

Incident

Reserve Officer Clifton was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while walking beside highway 22 at night. The driver of a pick-up truck struck him with his passenger side view mirror knocking him to the ground. Then the driver of a car behind him ran over Officer Clifton killing him. The driver of the truck was not charged. The driver of the car was never identified.

Survivors

Officer Clifton had served with the agency for 1 year and was survived by his wife and child.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OR-9E6FBBA8
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

You barely got started.
Reserve Officer Clifton gave the Burns Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Burns community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Reserve Officer Clifton.

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

Agency

Department Burns Police Department

Location Burns, OR

Platform Identity bpd.harney.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 1, 1981

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile

Offender Not available

Reserve Officer James Calvin Clifton 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 OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 4.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Burns Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Burns Police Department

of 2 officers

100% Felonious

OR — Statewide

115

of 197 officers

58.4% 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. James Calvin Clifton'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 James Calvin Clifton Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Not available

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. James Calvin Clifton is highlighted in Feb.

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. James Calvin Clifton was killed by automobile.

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 Burns Police Department are honored on badge.nw.