Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey
Agency patch
Officer

Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey

Metropolitan Police Department — Washington, DC
Felonious
End of Watch February 2, 1968
Age 28
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Badge 704
The Vigil Panel 103 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Officer Lawrence Dorsey was shot and killed while responding to a man with a gun call at 380 Eastern Avenue, NE. When he arrived he discovered a man with a shotgun. He ordered the man to drop the gun and as he attempted to arrest him a struggle ensued. The man fired the shotgun twice, striking Officer Dorsey both times. Officer Dorsey succumbed to his wounds five days later. Officer Dorsey had been with the Metropolitan Police Department for five years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and two sons.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Dorsey gave the Metropolitan Police Department 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the Washington community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Dorsey.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity mpdc.dc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 2, 1968
Tour of Duty 5 yrs
Age 28
Badge Number 704
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Shotgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Lawrence is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,551 remembered there.

34,117 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 1968, 91 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 62nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Lawrence was 28. Of the 14,220 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. Lawrence had served 5 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

February holds 7.4% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Fridays: 14.3%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was shotgun, in 7% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Metropolitan Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Lawrence among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Officer Lawrence Lewellyn Dorsey

Metropolitan Police Department · End of Watch February 2, 1968

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 27-E

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