Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Dennis Phelps was shot and killed after stopping a vehicle at 11:44 pm that had been involved in a shooting 10 minutes earlier.
Radio contact was lost after he advised dispatch of the stop at Shepherd east of Locan in Clovis. A responding Clovis Police Officer found Deputy Phelps on the ground, and his gun, radio, and patrol car had been stolen by the suspect. Deputy Phelps was flown to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds.
Another deputy located the subject driving the patrol car and began to pursue it. The man opened fire and shot out the responding deputy's windows, injuring him.
The subject crashed the car and fled on foot. He remained at large during an extensive manhunt involving over 165 officers from 12 agencies. On the third day of the search, the man fired at a department helicopter, striking its rotor blade. On May 25th, 2002, the man was shot and killed when he was surrounded and exited a trailer while carrying Deputy Phelps' rifle and refused to surrender in the Prather area of Fresno County.
Deputy Phelps served with the Fresno County Sheriff's Office for three years and had served in law enforcement since the early 1980s. He had completed training as a patrol deputy one week prior to the shooting.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, daughter, son, parents, and sister.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-83877229- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Phelps gave the Fresno County Sheriff's Office 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fresno community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Phelps.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Dennis Earl Phelps is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Fresno County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 40% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Dennis Earl Phelps's cause is highlighted.
How Dennis Earl Phelps Compares
Offender Outcome
Shot and killed
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Dennis Earl Phelps is highlighted in May.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Dennis Earl Phelps was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
14 officers from Fresno County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
