Charles S. Ford

Salt Lake City Police Department — Salt Lake City, UT

Felonious

End of Watch December 14, 1907

Age 51

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

The Vigil Panel 22 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 22

Incident

Patrolman Charles Ford was shot and killed when he encountered three robbery suspects near the intersection of Fifth West Avenue and Second South Street at 2:30 a.m. He was on patrol when the three men, fleeing from a robbery at a nearby hotel, encountered him. The men immediately held him at gunpoint and told him to put up his hands. He was shot in the chest when he attempted to draw his service weapon. The three suspects fled the scene but were eventually apprehended and charged with Patrolman Ford's murder. One of the suspects, who had just been released from the penitentiary, was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He was paroled on June 20, 1918. While in prison, he contracted tuberculosis and died a year later in Fresno, California. Patrolman Ford had served with the Salt Lake City Police Department for one year and four days. He had just been appointed on December 10, and previously served with the agency in 1892.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-UT-A0CF8319
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.
Patrolman Ford gave the Salt Lake City Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Salt Lake City community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Ford.

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

Agency

Department Salt Lake City Police Department

Location Salt Lake City, UT

Platform Identity slpd.saltlake.ut.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 14, 1907

Tour of Duty 1 yrs

Age 51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Paroled in 1918

Patrolman Charles S. Ford 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 UT, 84 of 138 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this state's fallen. That is 6.7 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Salt Lake City Police Department, 14 of 23 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.9% of this agency's fallen.

Salt Lake City Police Department

of 23 officers

60.9% Felonious

UT — Statewide

of 138 officers

60.9% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious