310 SFS Reservist takes down fugitives

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Patrice Clarke
  • 50th Space Wing Public Affairs
SCHRIEVER AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. --  James Chamberlain didn't have time to think. As he was setting up his position on I-25 near Walsenburg, Colo., the three fugitives dubbed "The Dougherty Gang," literally rolled to his feet. With his Air Force military training and years of police training, thinking wasn't needed. His training kicked in. When Lee-Grace Dougherty raised her Mac -10 toward Chamberlain, he didn't hesitate and fired, hitting her in the leg and ending the gang's eight days on the lam.

When Chamberlain entered active duty, more than 19 years before, as a radio television broadcaster he had no idea that this was where his path would lead. He never suspected he would be the Walsenburg Chief of Police or a master sergeant assigned to the 310th Space Wing.

"I wanted to be security forces when I first enlisted but they just weren't looking for that then," said Chamberlain. "I had a great time as a broadcaster, but when my four years were up, I got out."

It was two years later that Chamberlain received a call asking him if he wanted to join the Air Force Reserves as a security forces member. Chamberlain jumped at the opportunity.

Around the same time, his civilian police career began to take aim.

"I had been working in law enforcement for some time and a friend of mine said they were advertising for police officer positions out in Walsenburg," commented Chamberlain. "I mean I grew up there so I thought, why not go back and be a police officer."

Chamberlain applied and secured his position with the Walsenburg Police Department.

"I started at the bottom, going from patrolmen to patrol sergeant," he said.

While Chamberlain rose through the ranks at the Walsenburg Police Department, his Reserve duties took him on two deployments downrange and multiple steps up the chain of command.

"The entire city supports me as a reservist," he said. "I've been deployed three times, all while I was working at the Walsenburg Police Department. They have been very supportive."

Chamberlain was back from his latest deployment about a year when the city of Walsenburg was going through some budget cuts.

"I had gone in one day for a court case. When I came out, I had a message that the county administrator wanted to speak with me. The whole time I was racking my brain, trying to think of what the county administrator could possibly want to talk to me about."

All the worrying was for naught, the Walsenburg County Administrator was offering Chamberlain the Chief of Police position that day.

"I was really surprised," he said. "I had to ask him to give me a minute so I could regroup."

After talking with his fellow officers and his wife, Chamberlain called the administrator the next day and accepted the position. Chamberlain was interim chief for a short period and was officially appointed permanent Chief of Police Veteran's Day 2010.

The Dougherty Case

Less than a year after becoming the Walsenburg Chief of Police, one of the biggest events Walsenburg had seen literally rolled through town.

A week before the incident, Chamberlain decided to take a much needed vacation.

"I hadn't taken any vacation days since I became the Chief of police a year before so this week was needed," he said.