Phillip J. Riley
Agency patch
Policeman

Phillip J. Riley

Los Angeles Police Department — Los Angeles, CA
Felonious
End of Watch October 25, 1971
Age 26
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Badge 14745
The Vigil Panel 239 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Policeman Phillip Riley was shot and killed by a man who grabbed his service revolver following a high-speed chase in Venice. When Officer Riley and his partner initiated a traffic stop, the vehicle sped away. After a short pursuit, the vehicle stopped, and two men ran in different directions. Officer Riley was shot twice in the chest after cornering the suspect on the rocks of the Marina del Rey breakwater. The suspect was arrested after a second high-speed pursuit and a shootout in which he was wounded. The suspect was an inmate out on a 72-hour pass to look for a job at the Institution of Men at Chino. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to 15 years to life on May 3, 1973. Despite being paroled in 1981, he was back in prison for robbery and died of a drug overdose in 1988. Officer Riley had served with the Los Angeles Police Department for three years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, parents, and brother.

In Our Keeping

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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.
Policeman Riley gave the Los Angeles Police Department 3 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Policeman Riley.

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

Agency

Type Police Department
Location Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, CA
Platform Identity lapd.losangeles.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch October 25, 1971
Tour of Duty 3 yrs
Age 26
Badge Number 14745
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Officer's handgun

The Sacrifice · Felonious

Phillip 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 1971, 168 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 18th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Phillip was 26. 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. Phillip had served 3 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Mondays: 13.8%.

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 officer's handgun, in 5.8% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

Los Angeles Police Department has at least 120 officers remembered here, Phillip among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Policeman Phillip J. Riley

Los Angeles Police Department · End of Watch October 25, 1971

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 56-E

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