Roll of Honor

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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 100 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military 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

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CO-2C694DF8
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. One record, 2 gates. Paul 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.
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 →

Patrolman Paul Lewis Major 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 CO, 235 of 360 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.3% of this state's fallen. That is 65.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Denver Police Department, 55 of 74 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 74.3% of this agency's fallen.

Denver Police Department

of 74 officers

74.3% Felonious

CO — Statewide

235

of 360 officers

65.3% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious