Michael Lloyd Rainford

Garden Grove Police Department — Garden Grove, CA

Felonious

End of Watch November 7, 1980

Age 23

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 123 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 5

Incident

Officer Michael Rainford was struck and killed by a drunk driver on the Garden Grove Freeway near Harbor Boulevard. He had just made a traffic stop and was exiting his patrol car when the drunk driver crashed into the back of his vehicle and then struck him. He was thrown 30 yards by the impact. A 42-year-old woman was later apprehended and charged with drunk driving, hit-and-run, and manslaughter. Officer Rainford had served with the Garden Grove Police Department as a full-time officer for six months and had previously served as a reserve officer for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his expectant wife.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-5DE85EB0
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.
Officer Rainford gave the Garden Grove Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Garden Grove community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Rainford.

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

Agency

Department Garden Grove Police Department

Location Garden Grove, CA

Platform Identity ggpd.orange.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 7, 1980

Tour of Duty 2 yrs 6 mo

Age 23

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Charged with manslaughter

Officer Michael Lloyd Rainford 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 Garden Grove Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Garden Grove Police Department

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious