Officer Charles Hartman drowned while attempting to rescue a man.

On May 1, 1983 at shortly before 6 pm, Officer Charles Hartman was trying to rescue a man trapped, in a tree following a canoeing accident in high water on the Blue River in south Kansas City south of 139th Street and Holmes Road. The Kansas City Fire Department had initially responded at 3:27 pm to assist the 24 year-old man but were unable to negotiate the swollen river. Officer Hartman, who donned scuba gear and ventured out into the water attached to a rope tied between the river bank and the tree holding the marooned canoeist but was overcome by the powerful current. A second diver was unable to free Officer Hartman in the current. A third diver reached the unconscious Officer Hartman at shortly before 6 pm, inflated his rescue vest and cut the the safety rope allowing himself and Officer Hartman to be carried a half mile downstream by the strong current where they could be pulled from the water. LifeFlight medical personnel standing by at the scene were unable to revive Officer Hartman whose breathing apparatus had been torn from his mouth by the river's current. He was pronounced dead at St Joseph's Hospital at 7:45 pm. The canoeist was eventually rescued by officers carried across the swollen river by the LifeFlight helicopter. The Blue River had swollen as a result of storms that had caused flooding throughout the city and the region including Kansas City's west side neighborhood where flood waters were up to five feet deep.

Officer Hartman was a member of the Jackson County Underwater Rescue Team, which was composed of officers from several different agencies. He had just been named Missouri Peace Officers' Association Officer of the Year and received the Silver Award from the Metropolitan Chief's and Sheriff's Association for rescuing a youth from a vehicle stranded in high water.

Officer Hartman had served with the agency for 7 years was survived by his wife and daughter.