Meet Marshal Chris Barfield. I’d call him a super Law Enforcement Officer, the type that movies are made of. I’ve known Roger, I mean Chris, for 15 years through the Randall’s Adventure & Training school. However, these days I call him a friend!
Marshal Chris Barfield and the U.S. Marshals Service
The U.S. Marshals Service is the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency, handling high-risk duties that anchor the justice system. They apprehend dangerous fugitives, protect judges and court personnel, manage the Witness Protection Program (WITSEC), oversee prisoner transportation nationwide, and seize criminal assets. Their work is often behind the scenes, but it’s foundational to law and order in the U.S.
Chris Barfield – Retired Marshal and Traveler
Chris Barfield started as a Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer in NC, then had a 24-year career with the U.S. Marshals. Initially stationed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, he spent the majority of his career based out of Indiana but worked extensively on long-term assignments in Latin America and the Balkans. He currently considers himself a recovering federal agent.
Instructor Training/Career Highlights:
- Firearms Instructor
- Protective Operations Instructor
- Protective Driving Instructor
- Forensic Accountant (CPA)
Chris Barfield on Law Enforcement
Why did you choose the Marshals?
Just unlucky, I guess. All of my formal training has been in accounting. I have a BS, an MS, a CPA, and for whatever reason, law enforcement seemed more attractive for a 22-year-old than sitting behind a desk, adding up numbers for 50 hours a week. When I discovered they’d pay me to shoot, drive, and work in a team environment, particularly in high-level operations around the world, I forgot all about the pocket protector and the Hewlett-Packard 17BII calculator.
However, I didn’t put it all together until later in my career, when I was assigned to the United States Attorney’s Office full-time as a forensic accountant, tracking down the money and other assets of drug organizations around the world.
This is one of the first times I’ve addressed you as Chris. For several years, a lot of us called you Roger. Can you explain why that was briefly?
For a large portion of my career, I was assigned to a more secretive unit in the government. It was very common for us to operate under different names, both for our safety and the safety of others.
Chris on Firearms
What firearm was issued to you while working as a US Marshal?
Way back in the 1900s, when I started with the Marshals, they issued us Ruger GP 100 .357 6-shot revolvers, if you can believe that. The Marshals have been around since 1789, and tradition dies hard. I left mine at the academy and never carried it since we had broad latitude to carry pretty much whatever we wanted back then. I carried a Heckler & Koch P7 M13 semi-auto and still have it to this day.
However, once I started working in South America frequently, I quickly realized that my HK was too expensive and aroused far too much curiosity from the locals, so I switched to an old Glock 19 (Gen 2). It would not be the end of the world if it went missing when we had to check it in with the pilots while flying around the country. Seriously, we had to turn our guns into the pilots!
Today, USMS issues Glock 19s like many other federal agencies.
Preferred Carry: Long gun or Handgun?
Depending on who or what is shooting at me. Ideally, I’d like to have a long gun. And a bunch of friends with their long guns. But probably a handgun since it can always be with me. Although my Daniel Defense AR is never too far away…
What is your preferred firearm off-duty in town, and why?
I’m still a Glock guy. Not because I think they are the best or nicest (they aren’t). But they are a tool that works every single time I press the volume button. I still have my 1989 Gen 2 Glock 19 that performs flawlessly. But I end up carrying a Glock 26 daily. I tried the G43 for a while but went back to the G26.
Marshal Chris Barfield on Tactical Knives
What are your preferred carry-cutting tools on the job?
For almost 2 decades, I had an ESEE-3 (or RAT-3 back in the day) on my tactical vest and carried them all over the world, literally. I have a picture of using it to start a fire in an old Soviet-era bunker in Albania. It’s the Glock of the knife world. It won’t win any beauty contests, but it works reliably. And it becomes a pretty good bargaining chip to get you out of (or into) somewhere. As you know, overseas ain’t like the U.S. A pack of Marlboros or a good knife can sometimes open doors that Embassies can’t.
What cutting tools do you carry, such as EDC or woods tools, and why?
I’ve carried pretty much the full spectrum of folders at one time or another, starting with Spydercos in the 90s. Then Benchmades, Emersons, Striders, ZT, Chris Reeve, and on and on. But at heart, I’m a child of the 80s. I keep coming back to the tried-and-true Swiss Army Knife, MacGyver style.
Other EDC items include a Pokka pen, a small brass compass from Tru-Nord, an American Express Platinum card, a Rolex Explorer II, and an Expat Knives Zippo. If I can’t get myself out of trouble with that combination, well then, I guess it’s just my time.
Favorite Flashlights?
Surefire. Period. End of story. Those are the lights on my handguns and rifles. I’ve seen them abused for years and years, and they still work flawlessly. I have old models with non-LED bulbs that still work. I’m a fan of their E2 series, in the various iterations. I bet my iPhone light gets just as much use these days.
Marshal Chris Barfield is EXPAT
How did you conceive the idea for the ESEE Knives EXPAT series?
In the early 2000s, while traveling in Colombia, I sought jungle survival training due to the threat of kidnapping. This led me to Jeff Randall and ESEE (formerly RAT). We discussed creating a line of knives inspired by my experiences abroad and real-world usage. This resulted in Expat Knives, designed to be cost-effective, so you won’t regret using them to barter. I once traded an old pair of handcuffs to a customs officer to skip a long line, a lesson I’ve never forgotten.
Best thing about being on the job?
A pension. They keep paying you, even when you don’t have to show up anymore.
Much appreciated, Chris!
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