Editorial: Officer Carleton Bruce

OFFICER CARLETON BRUCE

Chico has lost in a most tragic way one of its most capable police officers, Carleton J. Bruce, and a wife and two children have lost a devoted husband and father. He responded to the call of dangerous duty, that of affording protection to individuals whose lives were being threatened by a man whose mind had become deranged through cause yet undetermined. The young officer was fatally wounded without being given any chance for defense and for no reason. He had had no opportunity to effect an arrest nor indicate that he intended to do so. As he entered the doorway where there had been a disturbance he was coldly greeted with bullets, one of which struck a vital spot. The crazed assassin realized within an hour the gravity of his offense and ended all by strangling himself to death in the prison cell. The family of Carleton Bruce have the deepest sympathy of this entire community. He died in the faithful performance of his duty; his record as an officer and citizen was clean.

His contact with the public was ever courteously helpful and in his enforcement of police regulations he won co-operation by the use of reason.

(Chico Record, Feb. 24, 1938)