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Patrolman

Paul Lewis Major

Denver Police Department — Denver, CO

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch January 20, 1965

Age 41

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Badge 50-51

The Vigil Panel 220 · Column 1 · Line 9 ›

Gender Male

Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Military Memorials 1 Also Remembered Department 73

Incident

Patrolman Paul Major was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a suspected car thief. He and his partner attempted to stop a speeding car after it ran a red light. During the pursuit, the officers realized the car had been stolen. When the car finally stopped on Lincoln Street near East Bayaud, several of the occupants in the vehicle fled on foot and Patrolman Major chased one of them. As he entered an alley on South Broadway he was shot in the chest and head. He died en route to the hospital. The suspect, 32, was apprehended and sentenced to life. He was paroled in 1983 but sent back to prison the same year for violating his parole. He was paroled again in 1986 and returned to prison in 1987 for violating his parole again. He was to be eligible for parole a third time in November 1987. Patrolman Major was a United States Navy WWII veteran and had served with the Denver Police Department for 15 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

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Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Major gave the Denver Police Department 15 years.
Thank you for your service to the Denver community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Denver Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Denver, Denver County, CO

Platform Identity dpd.denver.co.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch January 20, 1965

Tour of Duty 15 yrs

Age 41

Badge Number 50-51

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Paul Lewis Major served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Paul is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

Compare against

Time

In 1965, 78 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 89th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States

Who

Paul was 41. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Paul had served 15 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death

Where he stood among them

Age by years of service

III

When

January holds 8% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Wednesdays: 12.9%.

By month

By day of the week

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was handgun, in 23.4% of these deaths.

Every cause

Weapons recorded