Incident
Police Officer Paul Dunn was killed in a motorcycle crash on Lakeland Highlands Road, south of Lake Miriam Drive, at approximately 5:45 am.
He was en route to the police station on his department motorcycle when he struck the raised median of the roadway. He was thrown from the motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries.
Officer Dunn was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He had served with the Lakeland Police Department for six years and had previously served with the Polk County Sheriff's Office for 12 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, three children, and two stepdaughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FL-C5A0A42C- 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 Dunn gave the Lakeland Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Lakeland 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 Patrick Dunn served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Police Officer Paul Patrick Dunn 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 FL, 313 of 1,008 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.1 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.
At Lakeland Police Dept., 2 of 6 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Paul Patrick Dunn's cause is highlighted.
How Paul Patrick Dunn Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Paul Patrick Dunn is highlighted in Jan.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
5 officers from Lakeland Police Dept. are honored on badge.nw.




