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James J. Fenton
Agency patch
Police Officer

James J. Fenton

Oakland Police Department — Oakland, CA
Felonious
United States flag California flag
End of Watch January 4, 1908
Age 33
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Badge 46
The Vigil Panel 22 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Memorials 1 Department 53

Incident

Police Officer James Fenton was shot and killed while attempting to question two men he suspected of burglary at the intersection of 7th Street and Pine Street. Both men had blown a post office safe near St. Jose two weeks earlier. When he told the men he was going to arrest them one fled and the second began to struggle with Officer Fenton. The suspect then pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Fenton. As the suspect attempted to flee a nearby barber in his shop ran out and grabbed the suspect, gained control of his weapon, and then shot and killed him. On March 1st, 1910, the second suspect was apprehended in Modesto. He was convicted of burglary and sentenced to 11 years. On October 27th, 1918, he committed suicide in his cell. A few months after the incident the barber who killed the suspect became an Oakland police officer. Officer Fenton had served with the Oakland Police Department for two years. He was survived by his wife and two children. Officer Fenton wore the same badge as Officer George Brown, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on December 17th, 1904.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two children.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Fenton gave the Oakland Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oakland community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Fenton.

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

Agency

Department Oakland Police Department
Type Police Department
Location Oakland, Alameda County, CA
Platform Identity opd.alameda.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 4, 1908
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 33
Badge Number 46
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

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

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1908, 129 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 35th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

James was 33. 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. James had served 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Saturdays: 16.3%.

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 handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Oakland Police Department has 54 officers remembered here, James among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Police Officer James J. Fenton

Oakland Police Department · End of Watch January 4, 1908

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 19-E

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