Detective

Harry Lankford Charlton

Norfolk Police Department — Norfolk, VA
Felonious
End of Watch August 24, 1920
Age 23
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
The Vigil Panel 39 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Detective Harry Charlton succumbed to injuries sustained on January 7, 1920, while assisting another officer in making an arrest on Granby Street near Queen Street (modern-day Brambleton Avenue). The other officer was attempting to place a drunken woman he had arrested in a patrol wagon when the woman kicked Detective Charlton in the groin. A large bruise developed causing blood poisoning that ultimately caused his death. Detective Charlton was hospitalized for four months.

Survivors

Detective Charlton was survived by his wife, son, daughter, father, and four siblings.

In Our Keeping

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August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

You barely got started.
Detective Charlton gave the Norfolk Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Norfolk community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Charlton.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Norfolk, VA
Platform Identity npd.norfolk.va.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 24, 1920
Tour of Duty 1 yrs
Age 23
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Person

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Harry is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1920, 209 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Harry was 23. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Harry had served 1 year; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was person, in 2% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Norfolk Police Department has 39 officers remembered here, Harry among them.

VI

Where

Detective Harry Lankford Charlton

Norfolk Police Department · End of Watch August 24, 1920

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 44-E

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