Kipton L. Hayward

Polk County Sheriff — Des Moines, IA

Felonious

End of Watch October 9, 1993

Age 40

The Vigil Panel 139 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 3

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Kipton Hayward was killed when he was struck by a drunk driver while diverting traffic from I-80/I-35 onto Route 69 as a result of an earlier accident. He was standing outside of his patrol car when the driver struck him. The man continued driving for over a mile until he was stopped by an Iowa State trooper near the original accident scene. The 31-year-old driver was convicted of vehicular homicide and sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was released after serving only four years. Deputy Hayward was a member of the previously known Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP) and the Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) program. He had just recently returned to duty after having been struck by another drunk driver that had left him with a broken leg.

Survivors

Deputy Hayward is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-IA-75D9205F
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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Hayward served with the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Des Moines community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Hayward.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department Polk County Sheriff

Location Des Moines, IA

Platform Identity polkso.polk.ia.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 9, 1993

Age 40

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Automobile; Alcohol involved

Offender Released after four years

Deputy Sheriff Kipton L. Hayward 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 IA, 129 of 226 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 57.1% of this state's fallen. That is 2.9 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Polk County Sheriff, 2 of 4 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Polk County Sheriff

of 4 officers

50% Felonious

IA — Statewide

129

of 226 officers

57.1% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious