Whatcom County Sheriff's Office, Washington
End of Watch: Thursday, July 28, 1921
Age: 44
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: July 28, 1921
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Mistrial
Deputy Sheriff James Chatfield was shot and killed as he and another deputy confronted two men they suspected of smuggling liquor and narcotics on a trail crossing the Canadian border near Blaine, Washington.
Deputy Chatfield had his service weapon out when he ordered the men to stop. One of the men, believing that the deputies were smugglers themselves, drew his own revolver and opened fired. Despite being wounded in the abdomen, Deputy Chatfield returned fire but did not strike the subject.
Both men fled but returned to the scene a few minutes later and turned themselves in to the other deputy. They took Deputy Chatfield to a hospital in Lynden where he died several hours later.
The men were charged with Deputy Chatfield's murder but released following a mistrial after they claimed they were just hiking in the area and mistook the deputies for criminals.
Deputy Chatfield had served in law enforcement with the Whatcom County Sheriff's Office and Blaine Police Department for four years. He was survived by his four children and his stepdaughter, and his half-brother; he is buried at Fern Hill Cemetery in Anacortes, Washington.