Incident
Police Officer Paul Carlisle succumbed to complications of gunshot wounds sustained on November 23rd, 1976.
He had conducted a traffic stop of a stolen vehicle at the intersection of 16th Street and Broadway at 2:30 a.m. As Officer Carlisle ordered the man from the car, the subject drew a small handgun from his waistband and opened fire, striking him. One of the rounds struck Officer Carlisle's spinal cord, paralyzing him from the chest down.
The shooter was a parolee from a 1970 murder conviction. He was sentenced to two consecutive terms of 1-15 years in prison for assaulting an officer with a deadly weapon and possessing a gun as a felon. He was released on parole in 1983, and six weeks later, he was charged with attempted robbery, possession of stolen property, and possession of a firearm from a string of thefts. In 1992, after his release from prison, he was convicted of kidnapping and robbery and sentenced to 30 years. He is up for parole in December 2023.
Officer Carlisle remained bedridden and under constant care until his death on December 1st, 2015.
Officer Carlisle was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Oakland Police Department for 2 1/2 years at the time of the shooting.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-60A37D92- 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.
Police Officer Carlisle gave the Oakland Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Oakland 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 Michael Carlisle served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Paul Michael Carlisle 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 Oakland Police Department, 37 of 54 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 68.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Paul Michael Carlisle's cause is highlighted.
How Paul Michael Carlisle Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to 1-15 years
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Paul Michael Carlisle is highlighted in Dec.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Paul Michael Carlisle was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
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