Baltimore City Police Department, Maryland
End of Watch: Sunday, January 6, 1884
Age: 44
Tour of Duty: 10 years
Badge Number: 52
Cause of Death: Drowned
Date of Incident: January 6, 1884
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Police Officer Charles Fisher drowned after falling into the freezing water from a pier at the end of South Street at approximately 1:30 am.
Officer Fisher was making his rounds when, it is believed, he was either chasing a suspect or investigating suspicious activity and fell through the ice of the basin.
A harbor officer nearby heard the scream and the sound of breaking ice and immediately started searching the area with the assistance of a private watchman. The two were unable to find anything and alerted another officer who was walking nearby. A short time later the searchers located Officer Fisher's hat and billy club next to a hole in the ice. Additional officers were called to the scene and started dragging the water for Officer Fisher's body, which was recovered a short time later.
Officer Fisher was a Confederate Army veteran of the Civil War. He had served with the Baltimore City Police Department for just under 10 years and was assigned to the Eastern District station. He was survived by his wife and five children.