James Ivan Broughton was married on February 11, 1911, and joined the Middletown Police Department on April 23, 1917. He is the only officer to die in the Line of Duty in the Middletown Police Department.
On Motorcycle Traffic duty on the morning of October 27, 1918, Officer Broughton, then 26 years old, was pursuing a suspect when he had an accident, falling from his motorcycle and suffering a broken collar bone. Broughton was sent home to his residence to recuperate. While at home, the officer developed pneumonia, succumbed to his injuries, and died on November 3, 1918.
At the time of his death, Officer Broughton and his wife, Glenna, had three children, Clara May, Raymond and Marjorie. Mrs. Broughton was also pregnant with a fourth child, Ivan. Sons Raymond and Ivan both went on to serve in the Middletown Police Department.
Officer Broughton’s Line of Duty death was nationally recognized in 2004, when his name was enshrined on the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Wall in Washington, DC.