Dennis Charles Doty
Agency patch
Police Officer

Dennis Charles Doty

Riverside Police Department — Riverside, CA
Felonious Veteran →
End of Watch May 13, 1982
Age 35
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
The Vigil Panel 125 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Dennis Doty and Officer Philip Trust were shot and killed while serving a warrant to a man who had not reported for his 13-year prison sentence. At 8:30 a.m., they went to the home on Wolfe Street. Officer Doty and Officer Trust were granted entrance into the house and found the disabled man sitting naked on a bed. As they helped him get dressed, the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot both officers. The suspect had been sitting on the gun. Officer Trust was able to return fire and struck the suspect in the hand. The round remained in the suspect's hand and was a crucial piece of evidence in the ensuing trial. The suspect, who had been paralyzed from the waist down two years earlier in a shootout with a Riverside police officer while robbing a bank, was found guilty of their murders and sentenced to death. It is believed that the motive of the shooting was revenge for the previous shooting. In 2005, a judge overturned the suspect's death sentence on claims by the defense that the suspect suffered from schizophrenia. He was retried and again sentenced to death on January 28, 2010. The suspect died in prison while still on death row in October 2024. Officer Doty was a U.S. Army Veteran of Vietnam and was the recipient of a Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He had served with the Riverside Police Department for 10 years.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-D5F86843
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 Doty gave the Riverside Police Department 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the Riverside 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

Location Riverside, CA
Platform Identity rpd.riverside.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch May 13, 1982
Tour of Duty 10 yrs
Age 35
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun
Offender Sentenced to death

Military Service

Dennis Charles Doty served in the Other (1968–1970) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Dennis Charles Doty 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 Riverside Police Department, 14 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 93.3% of this agency's fallen.

Riverside Police Department
14
of 15 officers
93.3% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% 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. Dennis Charles Doty'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 Dennis Charles Doty Compares

Age at End of Watch
35
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
10
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.5 years

Offender Outcome

Sentenced to death

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Dennis Charles Doty is highlighted in May.

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. Dennis Charles Doty was killed by handgun.

Gun; Unknown type
5,083
Handgun
2,077
Shotgun
922
Officer's handgun
909
Automobile; Alcohol involved
530
Rifle
518