Donald Hartley Basquette

Waco Police Department — Waco, TX

Felonious

End of Watch February 11, 1969

Age 31

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

The Vigil Panel 105 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 10

Incident

Sergeant Donald Basquette succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained two months earlier while he and other officers attempted to arrest a man wanted for murder and robbery. Sergeant Basquette arrived on the scene as officers were placing the suspect in their squad car. The suspect grabbed a .25 caliber handgun, and a gun battle erupted between Sergeant Basquette and the suspect. In the midst of the gun fire Sergeant Basquette was critically wounded and the suspect killed.

Survivors

Sergeant Basquette had been with the agency for seven years and was survived by his wife and two small children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-4E6792CD
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.
Patrol Sergeant Basquette gave the Waco Police Department 7 years.
Thank you for your service to the Waco community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Patrol Sergeant Basquette.

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

Agency

Department Waco Police Department

Location Waco, TX

Platform Identity wacopd.mclennan.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 11, 1969

Tour of Duty 7 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun; .25 caliber

Offender Apprehended

Patrol Sergeant Donald Hartley Basquette 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 TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Waco Police Department, 9 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 81.8% of this agency's fallen.

Waco Police Department

of 11 officers

81.8% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious