Doyle Allen Popovich

Sacramento Police Department — Sacramento, CA

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 3, 1974

Age 37

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

The Vigil Panel 114 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 16

Incident

Detective Doyle Popovich was shot and killed and a Yolo County Deputy Sheriff was shot and wounded while attempting to apprehend an auto theft suspect in the city's pocket area. During a struggle the suspect managed to grab Detective Popovich's gun and shot both. An hour later an off-duty Sacramento Police Sergeant, returning to his home on Riverside Boulevard from a shopping trip, apprehended the suspect, 27, in his garage. On April 9, 1975, the suspect was convicted of first degree murder and sentenced to life. A year later he was tried again, convicted of second degree murder, and sentenced to life. Detective Popvich was a U.S Navy veteran and had served with the Sacramento Police Department for six years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-4E9091BC
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 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.
Detective Popovich gave the Sacramento Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Sacramento 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 Sacramento Police Department

Location Sacramento, CA

Platform Identity spd.sacramento.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 3, 1974

Tour of Duty 6 yrs

Age 37

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Officer's handgun

Offender Sentenced to life

Military Service

Doyle Allen Popovich served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Detective Doyle Allen Popovich 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.

At Sacramento Police Department, 10 of 17 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 58.8% of this agency's fallen.

Sacramento Police Department

of 17 officers

58.8% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious