James N. Whittington

James Whittington, Jr., known as "Panama" for his Panamanian heritage, served nine years with the New York City Police Department. He spent most of his career in the 73 Precinct, including three years in the Street Crime Unit, where he made many felony arrests. Because of his record and his ability to speak Spanish, he was chosen in 1978 and again in 1980 for special assignments assisting the District Attorney's Office in homicide investigations. He received eight departmental commendations for outstanding police service. At the time of his death he was an investigator with the Brooklyn North Field Internal Affairs Unit.

On the night of 30 October 1982, Police Officer Whittington was off duty in a barbershop in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn when he was told that a man with a gun was fighting with a woman in the street. He went outside and approached the man, who ran. Officer Whittington followed in his car and caught up with him in front of a housing development at 340 Dumont Avenue, where they struggled. A few minutes after midnight, the man, Martin Mitchell, shot him three times, twice in the face and once in the shoulder, and fled. A Housing Police officer found Officer Whittington on the sidewalk and took him to Brookdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 1:20 a.m. on 31 October 1982.

He was 42 years old. He was survived by his wife, Cecilia, and their daughters, Denise and Nicole. Mitchell went to prison on 6 September 1983 and remained there, at Elmira Correctional Facility, after becoming eligible for parole in 2016.

On 1 November 2023, Police Commissioner Edward A. Caban posthumously promoted him to detective. On 19 September 2024, a Counterterrorism Division police dog was named "Panama" in his honor.

Police Officer James Whittington was shot and killed when he attempted to arrest an armed suspect while off-duty. Officer Whittington was off duty and getting a hair cut inside a barber shop when he was informed that there was a man with a gun outside having an argument with a woman. Officer Whittington exited the barber shop and attempted to apprehend the subject. When the man fled, Officer Whittington chased him in his car and caught up with him in front of a New York City Housing Development on Dumont Avenue in Brooklyn. When Officer Whittington attempted to take the man into custody, there was a struggle during which the man was able to gain control of Officer Whittington's weapon. The subject fired five shots, fatally wounding Officer Whittington, then fled across the street. He was later apprehended. On January 5, 1984, the suspect, 24, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 12 to 25 years. In an unrelated case he was sentenced to 20 years to life for the attempted murder of a Queens detective on August 3, 1982. He had a long criminal record. Most of his convictions were for resisting arrest. The judge referred to him as a very violent and dangerous man. He has a parole hearing in December of 2022. Officer Whittington was survived by his wife and two children. He was assigned to the Brooklyn North Field Internal Affairs Unit.