Roll of Honor
Incident
Commander Paul Gillen was killed in a police helicopter crash during a training exercise. He was the highest ranking member of his agency to be killed in the line of duty.
Commander Gillen was a U.S Navy veteran of WWII and had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for 25 years.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-3E6CFBD7- 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.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Paul. Claim this record.
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
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.
Commander Gillen gave the Los Angeles Police Department 25 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Thank you for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Paul John Gillen served in the Other (1944â1945) before joining law enforcement.
Commander Paul John Gillen is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In CA, 719 of 1,837 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 39.1% of this state's fallen. That is 8.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Los Angeles Police Department, 97 of 240 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 40.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Paul John Gillen's cause is highlighted.
How Paul John Gillen Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Paul John Gillen is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
239 officers from Los Angeles Police Department are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
