Roll of Honor

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Officer

Robert P. Dana

Metropolitan Police Department — Boston, MA

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch March 25, 1984

Age 29

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Badge 701

The Vigil Panel 128 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 11

Incident

Officer Robert Dana was shot and killed by a suspect who had gained control of another officer's handgun on the Blue Hills Parkway, in Milton. Officer Dana had conducted a traffic stop when he noticed a stolen television in the backseat. A Milton police officer stopped to assist during the traffic stop and was speaking to the driver as Officer Dana returned to his patrol car to contact dispatchers. During the questioning the suspect became agitated, gained control of the Milton officer's weapon, and shot Officer Dana. The suspect was traced to a home in Boston where he committed suicide as a SWAT team entered to arrest him. Officer Dana was survived by his wife who was a member of the Milton Police Department. She was on duty and responded to the scene in the police ambulance. Before joining the Metropolitan Police Department Officer Dana had served as a federal police officer and a U.S. Air Force Security Policeman. He was survived by his wife of six months and parents. After Officer Dana's death the Robert Dana Award was created and is awarded annually to Massachusetts Police Officers for distinguished service.

Survivors

Officer Dana was survived by his wife who was a member of the Milton Police Department. He was survived by his wife of six months and parents.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-980860E6
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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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 Dana gave the Metropolitan Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Boston 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 Metropolitan Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Boston, MA

Platform Identity mpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch March 25, 1984

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 29

Badge Number 701

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Robert P. Dana served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Officer Robert P. Dana 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 MA, 199 of 469 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 42.4% of this state's fallen. That is 42.4 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Metropolitan Police Department, 4 of 12 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.

Metropolitan Police Department

of 12 officers

33.3% Felonious

MA — Statewide

199

of 469 officers

42.4% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,759 officers

0% Felonious