Dennis Allen Darden

Portland Police Bureau — Portland, OR

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch August 9, 1974

Age 29

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 114 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 30

Incident

Officer Dennis Darden was shot and killed when he and his partner stopped a suspect at NW 23rd Street and Glisan Street. As Officer Darden's partner searched the suspect, he located a gun and began to struggle with the man over control of the weapon. Officer Darden joined the struggle and struck the suspect with his service weapon, disabling the weapon by bending the trigger guard. Officer Darden attempted to shoot the suspect, but the weapon would not fire. The suspect fired at the same time, striking Officer Darden twice and his partner once. The suspect began to flee as Officer Darden's partner returned fire. The man ran to a nearby apartment, where he committed suicide. It was discovered that one of the shots fired by Officer Darden's partner had struck the man in the head and wounded him. The suspect was wanted for a murder charge in California. Officer Darden was a United States Army veteran and served with the Portland Police Bureau for six years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and four children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-OR-9AA45E54
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Army. One record, 2 gates. Dennis is one person.

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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.
Officer Darden gave the Portland Police Bureau 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Portland 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 Portland Police Bureau

Type Police Department

Location Portland, OR

Platform Identity ppb.multnomah.or.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 9, 1974

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Dennis Allen Darden served in the U.S. Army (1966â1968) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Dennis Allen Darden is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,759 officers honored here.

In OR, 115 of 197 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.4% of this state's fallen. That is 58.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Portland Police Bureau, 12 of 31 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 38.7% of this agency's fallen.

Portland Police Bureau

of 31 officers

38.7% Felonious

OR — Statewide

115

of 197 officers

58.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious