Richard L. Vauris
Agency patch
Officer

Richard L. Vauris

Clinton Township Police Department — Clinton Township, MI
Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 19, 2001
Age 54
Tour of Duty 31 yrs
The Vigil Panel 148 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Richard Vauris was shot and killed after he and other officers responded to an unwanted person call in the 3400 block of Wallis Street.

The suspect had entered the townhouse of family members who feared he was suicidal. Officer Vauris, who had recently been assigned as a negotiator, and several officers were in the kitchen with the man when a struggle ensued. The subject gained control of Officer Vauris' service weapon and shot in the chest twice. Officer Vauris was not wearing a vest at the time.

Other officers in the room returned fire, killing the suspect.

Officer Vauris had served with the Clinton Township Police Department for four years after having retired from the Detroit Police Department as a 27-year veteran.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-A4685CF2
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Richard. Claim this record.

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

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

31 years. You could have gone home.
Officer Vauris gave the Clinton Township Police Department 31 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Clinton Township community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Vauris.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Clinton Township, Macomb County, MI
Platform Identity ctpd.macomb.mi.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 19, 2001
Tour of Duty 31 yrs
Age 54
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Military Service

Richard L. Vauris served in the U.S. Army (1966–1967) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Richard L. Vauris 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 97,772 officers honored here.

In MI, 426 of 719 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 59.2% of this state's fallen. That is 59.2 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Clinton Township Police Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Clinton Township Police Department
1
of 2 officers
50% Felonious
MI — Statewide
426
of 719 officers
59.2% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Richard L. Vauris's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Richard L. Vauris Compares

Age at Death
54
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
31
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard L. Vauris is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Richard L. Vauris served in the U.S. Army (1966–1967) before joining law enforcement.

Visit Richard L. Vauris’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Clinton Township Police Department are honored on badge.nw.