Roll of Honor

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Patrolman

Stephen Carl Shaffer

Dillon Police Department — Dillon, MT

Felonious

End of Watch February 14, 1981

Age 34

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Badge 7

The Vigil Panel 124 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice

Incident

Patrolman Stephen Shaffer was struck and killed by a drunken driver during a traffic stop. Patrolman Shaffer informed dispatch that he was investigating a possible drunk driver passed out on Selway Drive. As he approached the parked car, he turned on his top lights, exited his vehicle and spoke to the drunken driver outside of the car. As he was speaking with the intoxicated driver, another drunken driver approaching from the opposite direction struck the parked car and the patrol car, killing Patrolman Shaffer and the passed out driver. The suspect was apprehended and found guilty on two counts of negligent homicide. He was sentenced to 20 years for each count to run concurrently.

Survivors

Patrolman Shaffer had served with the agency for eight years and was survived by his parents and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MT-11D1E117
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.
Patrolman Shaffer gave the Dillon Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the Dillon community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrolman Shaffer.

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

Agency

Department Dillon Police Department

Location Dillon, MT

Platform Identity dpd.beaverhead.mt.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 14, 1981

Tour of Duty 8 yrs

Age 34

Badge Number 7

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Sentenced to 40 years

Patrolman Stephen Carl Shaffer 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 MT, 93 of 142 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 65.5% of this state's fallen. That is 11.3 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

Dillon Police Department

of 1 officers

100% Felonious

MT — Statewide

of 142 officers

65.5% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Stephen Carl Shaffer's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

17,623 (54.2%)

Accident

10,088 (31%)

Illness

2,974 (9.1%)

Cardiac

1,306 (4%)

Undetermined

260 (0.8%)

Suicide

256 (0.8%)

vehicular

1 (0%)

How Stephen Carl Shaffer Compares

Age at End of Watch

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years

Years of Service

This officer

Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to 40 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Stephen Carl Shaffer is highlighted in Feb.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,517

May

1,505

Jun

1,443

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,516

Sep

1,553

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Stephen Carl Shaffer was killed by automobile; alcohol involved.

Gun; Unknown type

5,083

Handgun

2,077

Shotgun

922

Officer's handgun

909

Automobile; Alcohol involved

530

Rifle

518